Police Launch Festive Drink/Drug Drive Campaign

Police will be carrying out more routine stop checks across the Hfm Region as the Christmas drink and drug drive campaign launches.

Officers carry out breath tests throughout the year, however with more people out celebrating the festivities with friends and family, risk increases, therefore patrols, proactive drink/drug operations, and roadside checks increase.

Activities will be held at different times, including early morning operations, when people may be driving after consuming alcohol or taking drugs the previous night and may not realise that they are still over the limit and their driving impaired.

Research has found that even when someone is only just over the legal limit, they are still six times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision than someone who has drunk nothing.

Leicestershire Police arrests an average of 100 drivers a month for being unfit to drive, with 1226 made in the first ten months of this year.

Despite hospitality venues being shut last December because of lockdown, there were still 132 people arrested during the festive campaign.

Jonathan Clarkson is from the county’s Road Safety Partnership:

Northamptionshire Police will be releasing the names of drivers charged during the campaign.