Drinkers in four major cities are being warned that if they are not careful how much they drink, they may end up in a police car or ambulance.
Black cabs half-painted as police cars and ambulances are hitting the streets in Birmingham, Liverpool, London and Manchester as part of the government's latest Know Your Limits safer drinking publicity campaign.
Seen from the front, the 40 vehicles resemble a traditional black cab, or hackney carriage, while from the rear a clever paint job transforms them into either police cars or ambulances.
The two halves are linked by a simple line of text: 'Don't let a good night turn into a bad one'.
The taxis will be on the cities' streets for eight weeks - four weeks in London - and form part of a wider advertising effort that also includes a fleet of 1,000 buses emblazoned with a bus route-style map.
Using the same 'Don't let a good night…' strap line, the journey depicted on the side of the buses terminates at a hospital Accident & Emergency department.
Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said: "The Know Your Limits campaign has been reminding young people of the dangers of excessive drinking in an imaginative, non-preaching and hard-hitting way since October 2006.
"Since the publication of the alcohol strategy in June this year, we have stepped up our efforts to educate people about the harm that alcohol can do not only to themselves but also to those around them.
"At this time of year when people will be out having a good time, these vehicles will, I hope, make people think twice about having one drink too many."