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More than 70 drink and drug driving arrests as we tackle illegal activity on the roads this festive season

Whether you are travelling to see friends and family, or just heading to work or to the shops, we want to make sure you can complete your journey safely this festive season.

Those who choose to drink or take drugs and then get behind the wheel put everyone’s safety at risk, so to tackle this and protect all road users we’ve been drug and drink drive testing at locations across the county, and through our day-to-day policing activities.

Since the end of November, we’ve completed over 700 tests and made 76 arrests where motorists were found to be driving under the influence. 46 arrests were for drink driving and 30 arrests were for drug driving.

We test for drug and drink driving all year round, but we are specifically highlighting these results to tie in with our festive road safety campaign. So far this year, we have completed just over 2,300 roadside tests where we suspect someone may be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

‘Just one drink’ can still be dangerous

Some people consider they’ll be safe to drive after ‘just one drink’, but even one drink can affect your concentration and reaction times, so we would always advise you to drive drug and alcohol free.

If you see a friend or family member having a drink and then reaching for their keys, please encourage them to consider a different way to travel to keep them as safe as possible.

What to consider if you’re planning to have a drink

If you know you’ll be having a drink, remember to explore alternative methods of transport in advance, such as booking a taxi, selecting a designated driver or using public transport.

If you’re planning a big night out (or in!), it’s worth thinking about your travel arrangements for the next day too as you can still be over the limit the morning after so it’s always safest to find an alternative way to travel.

The consequences of drink and drug driving

The consequences of drug or drink driving can be fatal as drug or drink drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the roads.

Those caught drug or drink driving could face:

Up to 6 months in prison

A minimum 12 month driving ban

A criminal record

An unlimited fine

A licence endorsement for 11 years

Increased car insurance costs.

For more information

For more information about drug and drink driving, take a look at our website: Alcohol and drug driving | Staffordshire Police