Think before you drink before you drive!

Don’t risk a drink drive conviction this Christmas

Motorists across Warwickshire and West Mercia are being reminded of the dangers of driving under the influence of drink or drugs during the festive period.

Enforcing the drink and drug drive law is a 24/7 commitment for both Warwickshire and West Mercia Police Forces. This will be reflected by the police officers and increased enforcement at all times of the day and night. Since the launch of the campaign on 01/12/17 and until 10/12/17 so far, there have been 116 arrests for drink/drug drive offences across the Alliance.
There is no foolproof way of calculating how much you can drink and remain under the limit, or knowing how much an individual person can drink and still drive safely. Importantly, it is hard to calculate how long alcohol may stay in your body if you are driving the morning after so the safest option if you are driving is to drink no alcohol at all. There are plenty of alternatives available with public transport, taxis and sharing designated drivers. Pedestrians are also being encouraged to stay safe during the festive season and to plan safe routes home and to drink responsibly.
Figures indicate that, over the past 3 years 13 people were killed and 109 seriously injured in West Mercia alone following collisions where drink or drugs were recorded as a contributory factor.
Assistant Chief Constable Martin Evans for West Mercia Police comments: “There are still people out there who feel they can gamble with drinking and driving and think they know how much the limit is. Cracking down on those who take drugs or drink and then decide to drive is a year round commitment for us. However, we are very aware the festive season can present opportunities where people are tempted to drive under the influence. To combat this, extra patrols will be conducted in the run up to and over Christmas and New Year in a bid to tackle those who commit the unacceptable act of drinking or drug driving. The simple fact is, there is only one way of being sure that you are safe to drive and that is not to drink at all.”
Think before you drink before you drive!