North Yorkshire Police has thanked the public for their help to get drink and drug drivers off the road over the Christmas period.
Officers arrested 114 and motorists on suspicion of drink driving and conducted 3,455 breath tests during their annual festive crackdown, with many of those drivers being stopped thanks to information received from members of the public.
- Craven: 847 breath tests – 6 positive.
- Hambleton and Richmondshire: 488 breath tests – 18 positive.
- Harrogate: 556 breath tests – 31 positive.
- Scarborough and Ryedale: 882 breath tests – 19 positive.
- Selby: 342 breath tests – 16 positive.
- York: 340 breath tests – 11 positive.
- 13 drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired through drugs.
High-visibility patrols on the roads throughout North Yorkshire and the City of York were an integral part of the campaign, but intelligence from the community was equally important as it allowed officers to target certain people and specific areas.
Although targeted campaigns such as the Christmas initiative are a focal point in the efforts to put a stop to drink and drug driving, officers are keen to point out that with the help of the public they can target people who get behind the wheel while impaired all year round.
Traffic Sergeant Pete Stringer (right), of North Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group, said:
Although it is concerning that we arrested more people during this year’s campaign than we did 12 months ago and during the summer campaign, I am really pleased by the response of the public in general.
The vast majority of people know that drink and drug driving is reckless, dangerous and irresponsible which was evident in the number of calls we received to report people suspected of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs.
The public’s support is invaluable in helping to keep our roads safe from drink and drug drivers and I would like to thank everyone for their continued help.
I hope people will continue to provide us with information throughout the year because the fight against drink driving isn’t just for one month over Christmas it is a 12 month campaign. It will continue year after year until people get the message that drink driving costs lives and is completely unacceptable.
Since the Christmas drink and drug campaign officially finished on 1 January 2013, officers have continued to target offenders and have made 13 arrests.
The latest arrest was in the early hours of this morning (10 January 2013) following a report from a member of the public in Malton, who had seen a Vauxhall Corsa go through traffic lights at speed and hit a pillar outside a business premises in Yorkersgate.
The driver of the vehicle, a 19-year-old local man, was arrested at the scene of the incident after failing a roadside breath test and has since been charged.
He will appear at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 31 January 2013.
If you would like to report someone you suspect of drink or drug driving, contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 – select option 1 – and pass information to the Force Control Room.
If you wish to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555 111.
