Rise in motorists held during festive drink-drive blitz in Northamptonshire
drink drive
POLICE caught more than 100 drink drivers during a Christmas crackdown after breathalysing in excess of 2,500 motorists over the past month.
Senior police officers have labelled the results as “hugely disappointing”, after revealing 117 people were caught over the limit while behind the wheel this year, in what is a 23 per cent rise on last year’s figures.
This year’s month-long operation saw 28 young drivers aged between 17 and 24 arrested after giving positive breath tests – 24 per cent of the total arrests – while five people were arrested during the so-called ‘morning after’.
Last year, 29 young drivers were arrested – or 30 per cent – as well as six people during the morning after.
This year’s operation also saw a huge increase in the number of roadside tests traffic officers carried out in December, including an increasing number of daytime tests between 7am and noon. A total of 2,514 people were breathalysed during the four-week operation, almost double the number of tests last year.
However, figures reveal that despite carrying out up to five times as many tests during December as they do during other months, police did not catch many more drink drivers at Christmas than they do at other times of the year.
Deputy Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, who is the national lead on road policing, said: “Although the number of drink drive arrests is up from last year, we are pleased that proportionately the number of breath tests which resulted in arrests has gone down from 8.9 per cent last year to 4.6 per cent this year.
“However, it is hugely disappointing to see that people are continuing to risk their lives, and the lives of others, by getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol.
“It is also pleasing to see that the number of arrests of young drivers aged between 17 and 24 has also gone down. However, young drivers still account for 24 per cent of the arrests, yet they represent only 11 per cent of all licence holders in the county.
She added: “Officers carry out breath tests throughout the year as part of our ‘Fatal Four’ campaign, not just at Christmas and at all times of the day and night.
“Any amount of alcohol can impair your driving, even if you are below the legal limit, so we would advise people to abstain from drinking alcohol completely if they intend to get behind the wheel.”
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Comments
There are 9 comments to this article
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Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 06:49 PM"Almost right JACKSON...'blitz' is a shortenened version of the German word 'blitzkrieg' which was used to describe fast-moving armoured warfare...The shortened word was 'borrowed' in Britain to describe the bombing of cities during the last war...At the risk of giving away my age, I experienced the London blitz - somewhat hair-raising" Well said. Bliztkrieg meant "lightning" killing as many people in the shortest time as possible that you could, By land or air. I am worried that World War Two is not a memory for the vast majority of people anymore.
Pruned
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 01:51 PMWe can only hope that when brought to court they are heavily fined then have the pleasure of pressing the button of the machine that crushes their car, plus a ban for life.
willi eckaslyke
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 12:45 PMAlmost right JACKSON...'blitz' is a shortenened version of the German word 'blitzkrieg' which was used to describe fast-moving armoured warfare...The shortened word was 'borrowed' in Britain to describe the bombing of cities during the last war...At the risk of giving away my age, I experienced the London blitz - somewhat hair-raising..
Removed by moderator
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 11:40 AMThe "Blitz" was in World War Two, when tens of thousands lost their lives in London alone. Another slow news day fro (oops. for) croby gernalists. "Blitz" is dropping bombs and blowing people and their houses to smithereens "Rise in motorists held during festive drink-drive blitz in Northamptonshire" Get a dictionary numpwits. And learn a bit of history
willi eckaslyke
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 09:30 AM"...the police and sensible people"...nice one; Common sense.
Common sense
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 08:48 AMI'd guess the most active sector behind the wheel at Christmas time is probably the younger group and its pleasing that they are only a small fraction of those caught and deserve praise and encouragement not to behave as older -previous generations have. I think the police and sensible people know that those that drink too much and drive will do so irrespective of legal limits. In these hard times of austerity the public need a bit of fun in their lives also.
Finker
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 07:48 AMPacifist, agreed and the police actually say just that above, that proportionately the number has gone down. It's the headline that is focusing on one fact. Still a daft thing to do, if nothing else because it is tough for many to get to work if they are banned.
lady muck
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 07:47 AMPacifist...I agree. it's shooting fish in a barrel. Just take a police car and a box of breathalysers and sit outside any country pub or golf club. The day to congratulate the police is when they instil a true sense of fear into the regular drink drivers and this crime is totally eliminated.
Pacifist
Saturday, January 7, 2012 at 07:24 AMSurely the fact that there were more police officers out and more tests carried out it would account for more people being caught? In actual fact its probably the same number of people who drink and drive (maybe less) but just more got caught.
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