December crackdown leads to 136 arrests for drink and drug driving

Over 140 arrests were made in Surrey in just four weeks, as part of the Forces’ annual drink and drug drive campaign.

The campaign is run by officers with the aim of protecting the public from the dangers of drink and drug driving over the festive period. This is run in addition to proactive patrols to tackle drink and drug drivers which are carried out 365 days a year.

A total of 145 arrests on were made after stops by Surrey Police officers during the operation which ran from Thursday, 1 December to Sunday, 1 January inclusive. Out of these, 136 arrests were made on suspicion of drink and drug driving. These included:

• 52 arrests on suspicion of drink driving
• 76 on suspicion of drug driving
• Two for both offences
• One on suspicion of being unfit due to drink or drugs
• Five for failure to provide a specimen.

The remaining 9 arrests were for other offences such as:

• Drug possession and supply offences
• Theft of motor vehicle
• Firearms offences
• Failure to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision
• Handling stolen goods
• Stolen motor vehicle

During the same period Sussex Police made 233 arrests, 114 on suspicion of drink driving, 111 on suspicion of drug driving and eight for failure to provide.

Superintendent Rachel Glenton, from Surrey and Sussex Roads Policing Unit, said: “Whilst most road users are conscientious and law-abiding citizens, there are several people who refuse to comply with the law. Not only is this putting their own lives at risk, but also other innocent people’s lives as well.

“A small amount of alcohol or drugs can massively impair your judgement and seriously increase the risk of you injuring or killing yourself or someone else on the roads.”

Lisa Townsend, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, said: “Far too many people still think it’s acceptable to drink or take drugs before getting behind the wheel.

“In being so selfish, they risk their own lives, as well as those of other road users.

“Surrey’s routes are particularly busy – they carry 60 per cent more traffic than the average UK road, and serious crashes are sadly not uncommon here. That’s why road safety is a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan.

“I will always support the police as they use the full force of the law to tackle reckless motorists who endanger others.

“Those who drive intoxicated can destroy families and ruin lives. It is never worth it.”

If you know someone who is driving whilst over the limit or after taking drugs, call 999.