DRINK and drug drive arrests up on second week of annual road safety campaign, Operation Limit.
Roads Policing Unit officers arrested a total of 144 drivers suspected of drink and drug driving on our county’s roads or being unfit to drive through drugs and alcohol during the second week of support for Operation Limit, a national road safety campaign targeting drink and drug drivers.
Significantly, those numbers are 50% more than the previous week’s arrest figures of 97.
Since the launch of the anti-drink and drug driving campaign on December 1, our roads policing officers have arrested 241 people in total, demonstrating the force’s commitment to keeping local roads safe.
For two weeks (1-14 December), officers from teams across the force have been conducting targeted patrols and roadside checks across the county, focusing on deterring and detecting those who risk lives by driving under the influence.
Figures for the period show:
Total arrests
1-7 December 97
8-14 December 144
Those figures are broken down to
Drink driving
1-7 December 17
8-14 December 29
Drug driving
1-7 December 61
8-14 December 89
All these arrests send a clear message: driving under the influence will not be tolerated in Essex.
The campaign aims not just to catch offenders but also to raise public awareness around the dangers and consequences associated with drink and drug driving.
Adam Pipe, Head of Roads Policing at Essex Police, said: “The vast majority of Essex drivers are making safe, responsible choices this Christmas, planning lifts, using taxis, or leaving the car behind. However, deaths and serious injuries on Essex roads associated with drug driving have increased by 40% in the last year. Drug driving simply isn’t worth the risk. We want everyone in Essex to get home safely this Christmas, which is why this operation is so important in reducing harm and lowering risk on our roads. Every arrest represents a serious collision that may never happen, protecting families, pedestrians, and other drivers”
If you suspect someone is about to drink or drug drive, you can report them using Live Chat found here [insert link].
In the event of an emergency, call 999.
