We are often told that various bad things are simply not worth doing for the punishment they bring, but this still usually fails to work.

But for those considering drink driving in El Salvador, the deterrent is pretty good, we'd say - a firing squad.

So reports District Judge David Goodman, who told a conference organised by Telford Training Consultants - a provider of alcohol awareness training courses for convicted drink drivers - about the various ways other countries deal with offenders.

Motorists in Malaysia are jailed, along with their innocent spouse, he said, so at least they have some company.

The punishment in Switzerland is one year's hard labour (making it arguably another location to where law firms could outsource their dictation and proof reading), while Turkish police drive offenders out of town and make them walk home.

In Australia, local newspapers publish the offender's name and photograph under the catchy headline 'Drunk and in jail'.

It all makes a few points on your licence look a bit tame.