The summer drink and drug driving campaign was launched yesterday (31 May 2013) in Harrogate with an event near to Victoria shopping centre involving the emergency services.
North Yorkshire Police and the 95Alive York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership are urging the public to get behind this summer’s drink and drug drive crackdown and help to make the county’s roads safer.
The partnership, which involves North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire County Council, the fire service and the ambulance service, has launched a new campaign encouraging people to ‘dob in a drink driver’ and ‘grass on a drug driver’.
The message will appear on beer mats in pubs and bars throughout North Yorkshire and the City of York to remind people that one phone call can help to save lives.
A drink and drug driver counter has also been added to the North Yorkshire Police website to document how many people have been arrested throughout the year.
The counter will contain information naming and shaming anyone convicted of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs.
During past campaigns police have found that information received from the public has been very useful in helping to target drink and drug drivers.
Community intelligence coupled with dedicated and targeted police patrols can help to save lives this summer.
Superintendent Dave Foster, of North Yorkshire Police, said:
Everybody knows that drink and drug driving is dangerous and accounts for the loss of numerous lives throughout the country every year.
What has been encouraging over the past couple of years is that we have received some really good information from responsible members of the public about people they suspect of getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drink and drugs.
This helps to make our patrols more targeted and has resulted in some really good arrests that we may not have been able to make without the support of the community.
Dobbing in a drink driver or grassing on a drug driver takes a matter of seconds and can really make a difference in cutting the number of tragic deaths which occur on our roads as a result of people who get behind the wheel while impaired through drink or drugs.
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Officers will be conducting extra patrols on the roads of North Yorkshire and the City of York between 1 June and 1 July 2013, looking out for drink and drug drivers who are putting lives at risk.
Not only will traffic officers be on the look out for impaired drivers, but all police officers who are on duty will be vigilant and ready to breathalyse anyone they suspect of being over the limit.
Anyone involved in a collision will be breath tested and officers will be using specialist drugs dogs to search vehicles if people are suspected of driving will under the influence of drugs.
Supt Foster added:
There really is nowhere to hide. Drink and drug is completely unacceptable and if you take the risk this summer, the chances are we will catch you.
Julia Mulligan, the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, said:
This initiative is all about reducing harm in our communities. Driving under the influence is just one example of how alcohol and drugs effects individuals and communities, and I support the police and partners in trying to tackle this callous crime.”
David Bowe, of the 95Alive York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership, said:
Many of our roads are stunning, scenic routes with all sorts of people using them – on bicycles, horseback, walking, we have families and visitors in their cars and farm workers with tractors and trailers.
This environment is busy and complicated and it is irresponsible, not to mention illegal, to add to that mix drivers whose abilities are impaired by alcohol.
We need people to share our roads and to take responsibility for their own actions: ‘if you are going to drink – don’t drive’. If you see someone looking to drive after they have taken drink or drugs, don’t stand aside and do nothing, try to stop them or call the police, before someone else is injured.
If you want to dob in a drink driver or grass on a drug driver, 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.
Follow North Yorkshire Police on twitter for the latest drink and drug drive arrests @NYorksPolice
Follow @NYorksRPG as they tackle drink and drug driving on the roads this summer.
Visit the North Yorkshire Police website www.northyorkshire.police.uk to keep updated with the number of drink and drug drive arrests during the campaign and throughout the year.
