Hundreds arrested in drink drive clampdown

Drink drive campaign

More than 300 people were arrested for drink or drug driving over the Christmas and New Year period.

Between 1 December 2013 and 1 January 2014 police stopped and breathalysed 7,987 motorists as part of their annual drink drive campaign.

319 were arrested, equating to 3.9 per cent of all those stopped. This is a reduction from 4.1 per cent last year.

Seventy two people tested positive following a collision while 247 were caught by officers at a roadside check site or while out on patrol.

GMP launched its ‘None for the Road’ campaign ahead of the festive period in conjunction with DriveSafe, Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service and local authority road safety teams.

Inspector Matt Bailey-Smith, from the ANPR & Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit and responsible for this year’s festive drink drive campaign, said: “It is reassuring to see that there are fewer people putting lives in danger by drink driving but there is still a lot of work to do.

“Three hundred and nineteen people still thought it was acceptable to get behind the wheel after having a drink and it’s this kind of behaviour that leads to deaths on our roads.

“Drinking and driving is a deadly mix and although the festive operation may have concluded, our fight is far from over. None for the road is a message for life, not just for Christmas and officers will continue to relentlessly target those suspected of drink or drug driving until we rid the roads of this problem all together.”

GMFRS Group Manager, Stuart Millington, said: “We’re delighted that the ‘None for the Road’ campaign has been so successful over the festive period.

“Firefighters now rescue more people from car crashes than they do from fires. Drinking and driving is a recipe for disaster and all too often we are there to pick up the pieces.

“Anything which can be done to stop people getting behind the wheel when they’re drunk is fantastic for GMFRS and the people of Greater Manchester.”

Karen Delaney, communications officer at DriveSafe, said: “The aim of this initiative was to warn people about the consequences of getting ‘merry’ behind the wheel and although it’s pleasing to see that more people are taking this message on board, there are still far too many people drink driving.

“Our priority is to make the roads of Greater Manchester safer for all and we will continue to work with police and fire to make this happen.”