Drink-drive figures show massive drop

Jan 18 2008 by Hazel Ettienne, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

POLICE caught 235 drink-drivers in West Yorkshire over last Christmas, way down on 420 in 2006.

Figures just out show that the county’s police carried out 2,773 tests as part of their Christmas campaign.

The force’s road policing support inspector, Russell Clark, said: “Our campaign against the scourge of drink and drug driving takes place throughout the year, not just during the Christmas period.

“The message to anyone considering drinking or taking drugs and driving is clear; the police are always on the lookout for drink and drug drivers and offenders will be dealt with very seriously.”

Nationally, there was a 20% fall in the number of people failing breath tests over the Christmas period.

This clearly demonstrates the need for tough enforcement if the battle against drink-driving is to be won, says safety campaign charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa).

The success should be used as a springboard to tackle the needless deaths and injuries caused by those who get behind the wheel after drinking, the charity added.

And it says that giving the police extra powers could lead to even more improvements.

Police in England and Wales breath-tested a record 155,000 drivers during the festive season.

This was 6.4% more than the previous year.

The number of motorists failing or refusing to take a test fell from 9,658 to 7,774.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at Rospa, said: “Although this still means around 250 people a day were caught drinking and driving during December, the police are to be congratulated on the major progress made on the previous year.

“It shows that drink-driving is not inevitable and that it can be reduced if the correct measures are taken.

“Enforcement needs to be high profile and visible, so that it is a deterrent as well as a means of catching people who have been irresponsible enough to drink and drive.

“We want the current legal alcohol limit reduced from 80 milligrams to 50.

“This would save about 65 lives and 230 serious injuries on Britain’s roads each year.

“Between 50mg and 80mg you are twice as likely to be in an accident and six times more likely to be in a fatal crash than with no alcohol in your system.

“Rospa would also like to see random breath-testing.

“We will be pressing for these changes when the Government consults on ways to deal with drinking and driving this year.

“The Christmas figures demonstrate the benefits of motorists realising the police are out on the road looking for drink-drivers.

“Giving the police extra powers – such as reducing the alcohol limit and being able to test anywhere and at any time – would be an opportunity to launch campaigns to explain the reasons behind the measures, particularly to new and young drivers.’’

Mr Clinton added: “We cannot be complacent, because 540 people were killed in road accidents involving illegal alcohol levels in 2006.

“In 1999 the number was 460.”