POLICE have revealed the “ugly truth” about drink driving across Warrington and the rest of Cheshire over the Christmas and New Year period.
A total of 162 motorist were arrested during the “Good, Bad and Ugly” campaign mounted by Cheshire Police against drunk drivers.
More than 3,459 drivers were required to take breath tests or tests to identify drug taking – and as a result 141 men and 21 women were arrested.
Accident Chief Constable Phil Thompson (pictured) said: “Even though we had very challenging conditions on our roads with the adverse weather over the holiday period, some people made the very unwise decision to drink and drive. The scale of the drink driving over the Christmas period continues to be a matter of concern to police. It is particularly worrying that over 25 per cent of the failed or refused tests involved young people.
“I am also concerned that 10 per cent of the arrests were made on our normally very safe motorway network. Drink and drugs affect people’s judgement – nobody with an ounce of sense would consider travelling at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour with too much alcohol in their system. Yet we arrested 16 people for doing just that.
“These figures clearly show there remains considerable work to be done with the licensing industry and with retailers to make sure that all age groups get the message that drink driving – at any time of year – is a bad idea and has consequences in terms of crashes, prosecutions, lost driving licenses. For some, the ugly truth will be that by putting others at risk on the roads, they will lose their livelihood along with their driving license.”
Ugly truth about drink driving
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
6 Comments
If they are caught over the limit there should be an immediate ban from driving. No waiting for court, no drive home and the cars should be seized and crushed immediately. That might make people think before they commit this crime.
Fortunately we have a legal system in this country that means you have to be found guilty of something in a court of law before you can be punished for it.
And what if it’s someone else’s car?
I wonder whether there was any correlation between drink driving rates and the council’s decision to obliterate Sunday and bank holiday evening bus services last year.
But the legal system doesn’t punish them sufficiently and they often repeat the offence.
well anyone getting on a bus drunk should be refused – its selfish pig headed people that drink and drive.
There should be an automatic detention order for this crime, either in an alcohol dependency unit or prison.