More than a hundred arrested in June over drink driving - The Malvern Observer

More than a hundred arrested in June over drink driving

Malvern Editorial 10th Aug, 2015 Updated: 20th Oct, 2016   0

MORE than 100 people were arrested in the West Mercia area for drink driving in one month, new figures have revealed.

But police chiefs insisted the the force’s drink drive campaign show the message was getting through to the majority of motorists.

During June, roadside checks were carried out by officers from Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police at all times of the day and on all types of road.

Within West Mercia, 113 people were arrested for driving under the influence of drink, while 63 motorists were arrested under the new drug driving legislation, which came into force in March.




However, Anna Higgins, of the Safer Roads Partnership, said the number of people being stopped for breath tests and testing positive for alcohol ‘remains low’ at around six per cent in both areas.

“A total of 2,564 breath tests were administered throughout June over Warwickshire and West Mercia, showing the commitment both forces have to tackling this problem,” she said.


“Further analysis is being done on the data we have collected to see what areas need to be focused on for further campaigns. Our message is simple and continues to be ‘Don’t drink and drive – it’s not worth the risk.’”

The Safer Roads Partnership, Warwickshire Police, West Mercia Police and Warwickshire County Council all teamed up over June to warn people of the dangers of driving under the influence of drink or drugs, with campaign material distributed to licensed premises.

Over the past three years, 118 people have been killed or seriously injured in West Mercia and 78 in Warwickshire as a result of collisions involving drink or drugs.

And Chief Insp Adrian Knight, force operations department at Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police said they were committed to tackling the problem.

“It is encouraging that we are only talking to a minority of drivers,” he said.

“But there is more work to be done as there are still far too many irresponsible drivers ignoring the consequences that drinking and driving can cause for them, their family, friends and other road users.”

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