HUMBERSIDE Police have issued a warning to festive revellers who may consider driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol this Christmas.
A spokesperson from Humberside Police said: “Intent on getting behind the wheel whilst under the influence of drink or drugs? Well if you are, the message from Humberside Police is simple: We will catch you!
“Year after year police deal with people who get behind the wheel of a car, whilst under the influence of either drink or drugs, and sometimes both, during the festive period. Those people, don’t have any consideration for other road users and, do not realise that they are putting their lives and the lives of others in their own hands.
“This festive period will see Humberside Police working across the region to target those individuals and send a warning that drink and drug driving is not acceptable and police will be arresting people who break the law.”
The first weekends of December have seen police, supported by a specially trained drugs dog, target drink and drug drivers across East Yorkshire and Humberside. Vehicles were stopped and drivers were breathalysed and in some cases field impairment tests were conducted.
Roads Policing officers PC Barry Gardner and PC Keith Ward, who conducted the operation said: “Police are once again sending out a clear message that getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, after drinking alcohol and/or taking drugs will not be tolerated and police will be catching up with you.
“It is quite surprising that people don’t think about the risks they are putting themselves under and that they are quite literally putting the lives of others in their hands. An innocent driver, a cyclist or a pedestrian could be killed by those people who think its ok to drive whilst drunk or on drugs. Do you really fancy spending Christmas locked up?
“Drivers also need to think about the next morning when they get behind the wheel, and not just at the time of drinking. Alcohol can take time to leave your system and at this time of year, when festivities are taking place, think about what you drank the night before as you might not be legal to drive.
“The use of the drugs dog helps police to search vehicles and people more effectively. The dog can sniff out those who carry drugs in their vehicles and people who may have been in contact with drugs, within a matter of minutes. This simply will not be tolerated in this force area.
“Across the Humberside area, the issue of drink and drug driving applies to the minority and despite the high number of breath tests that are conducted across the force, the number of those who are arrested is relatively low. In the campaign for 2011, which ran from 01 November 2011 to 01 January 2012 police administered 3621 breath tests and 178 of them were positive. 10 field impairment tests were carried out and not one person was arrested as a result of these. The figures for this years campaign will not be available until early January.”
The operation has been endorsed by Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Grove who said: “Driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs is totally unacceptable. Over the years we have seen only too well how lives can be ruined by people who decide to get behind the wheel when intoxicated.
“If you get stopped by the police and are found to be over the limit, not only will you face a driving ban, the possible loss of your job if you drive for a living and the effect that will have on your life, you will also have a criminal record which could stop you getting another job. But if that happens consider yourself lucky, your actions could kill someone, and I would welcome a long custodial sentence for anyone convicted.
“The message is simple, the only safe drink-drive limit is not to drink at all.”