Shame of drink-driving parents

Parents are getting caught drink-driving at a more alarming rate than teenagers.

Though police statistics show detected drink-driving in WA dropped 20 per cent between 2009 and last year, the number of men and women aged 41 to 55 caught by police increased.

Women aged 46 to 50 were among the worst offenders, with a 10 per cent rise.

Men did not fare much better, with increases across the 46 to 55 age bracket and negligible decreases for men in their early 40s.

Conversely, drink-driving detection rates for teenagers - male and female - fell more than 50 per cent in the same period.

Men and women in their 20s also had significant improvements.

Road Safety Council chairman Murray Lampard said older WA drivers were being "shown up by kids" and putting lives at risk.

"They kill and maim good West Australians by their arrogant behaviour, by consuming too much alcohol and driving their cars," he said. "Our worst groups are our 40 to 55-year-old males and 46 to 55-year-old females."

Professor Lampard said younger people were more likely to appoint skippers or use public transport.

He encouraged all road users to maintain a heightened awareness of road safety as the year draws to a close and the Christmas period begins.

The State Government will deliver a comprehensive mass media advertising campaign focusing on drink-driving this month.

"I think people are just slowly getting the message that you just can't go out, drink a couple of bottles of wine and drive your car home," Professor Lampard said.

"The 40-55 age bracket are normally married men or women with children and they need to accept responsibility to their families and to all other road users."

Pedestrians are also being urged to take note, with statistics showing more than one-third killed on WA roads between 2004-2013 had a blood alcohol content of 0.05 or higher.