The start of summer and better weather, with lighter nights are welcome for most, officers from North Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group may see things slightly differently.
Figures from previous summer road safety campaigns show, more sunshine means more social drinking which leads to more people having one too many and getting behind the wheel.
Alarmingly, North Yorkshire Police’s figures show a worrying trend. Over the past three campaigns the numbers of drink drivers who have blown over 100ug – nearly three times the limit, has grown year-on-year from
- 5.5% of those arrested for the offence in 2014
- 13% of those arrested for the offence in 2016
This year the force, alongside partners from the 95 Alive Road Safety Partnership, are appealing directly to members of the public – if you know of someone who is driving over the limit, pick up the phone and report it. Officers are keen to spread the message that if the incident is happening there and then – call 999, or for non-emergencies call 101.
Sgt Andy Morton of the Roads Policing Group and lead in force for the campaign said:
The public have been a huge support with our previous campaigns and we continue to appeal to them, if you have information which would enable us to locate a driver over the limit, please contact us and let us know.
Be assured, officers from the Roads Policing Group will be out in force throughout the campaign, targeting drivers who are putting others at risk. With the assistance of the public, we can ensure we get dangerous drivers off our roads and make them a much safer place to travel.
If a member of the public contacts us and gives us the information, we will act on it. By picking up the phone and dialling 999 or 101, you could save a person’s life.
Throughout the campaign the force will be sharing films of short interviews with traffic officers who routinely deal with the aftermath of drivers who are over the limit. The interviews give an insight into the incidents that officers witness and deal with on a daily basis and highlight how destructive this behaviour can be.
Lorraine Allaway, who has been campaigning for tougher sentences for drink and drug drivers since losing her husband Bob to a drink driver in October 2015, spoke in support of the campaign:
I fully support North Yorkshire Police’s campaign to encourage people to report drivers who are over the limit. I would appeal to everyone, if you have any information about someone driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs, please pick up the phone and call the police.
To lose a loved one in this way is completely devastating and it’s something that myself and my family have to live with, day-in day-out. We will always miss Bob, all those special events other family’s celebrate, like birthdays and anniversaries, just remind us of our loss. I would not wish this heartbreak on anyone.
If you have information that could prevent this tragedy from happening to another family – please pick up the phone and tell the police.
