Christmas drink-drive arrests on the increase in Somerset during Operation Tonic
By glastopeep | Thursday, January 05, 2012, 21:41
Disappointingly for Avon and Somerset Police, well over 200 drivers were arrested for drink or drug driving offences during the force's Operation Tonic campaign which took place over the Christmas and New Year period.
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Police in Glastonbury
The campaign ran from December 1st to January 1st and during that time a total of 231 drivers gave a positive breath or drug test result as opposed to 150 people during the same period last year.
Police say they are disappointed that so many drivers ignored repeated warnings and chanced getting behind the wheel while under the influence.
"Our New Year message is that drink and drug driving is unacceptable – and we are determined to catch people who put themselves and others in danger," said Chief Inspector John Holt, of Avon and Somerset Police's Operations and Roads Policing Unit.
During Operation Tonic a total of 11,984 vehicles were stopped and drink driving advice was given to drivers by officers. 1771 people were also given breath or drugs tests while of the 231 drivers arrested, 13 were for drugs driving. Those convicted could now face six months in prison; a driving ban of up to 12 months; a criminal record and additionally may lose their jobs and find it difficult or at least expensive to obtain car insurance. Repeat offenders can be banned for 3 years.
In the UK, the alcohol limit for drivers is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, 35mg per 100ml of breath or 107mg per 100ml of urine but as individuals react differently to the effects of alcohol even small amounts can impair driving ability so it is recommended to avoid any alcohol if you are driving.
Unfortunately many people haven't heeded this advice and across the UK many other Police Forces have also seen an increase in drink-drive arrests over the festive period.
Comments
Funnily enough I had to have an ultrasound scan on my bladder at Shepton Mallet treatment centre this week and I was told to drink a pint and a half an hour beforehand. Surely they are just trying to encourage a drink drive culture, I may have been right on the limit on my drive in from Glastonbury!
By Cydertron at 12:57 on 11/01/12
ReportI'm not sure that encouraging self testing is necessarily a good thing, as to me it gives the impression that it's perhaps it is ok to have a drink or two and then test yourself before driving, better would eb to discourage a drink driving culture altogether. Also people may be encouraged to have another one if their reading is low.
Better still would be to adopt a stricter drink-drive policy as in many other European countries do so that everyone knows the drink drive limit and there is no grey area. With the current UK drink drive limit, it is hard to accurately determine if what you have drunk will put you at risk as there are plenty of variations in strengths of alcoholic drinks and measures.
I don't know Brits and their general attitude to drinking is concerning.
By VictorMildew at 12:42 on 10/01/12
ReportThe increase shows that anti-drink driving campiagns have not got the message across and a recent survey by Confused.com at Christmas showed that 51% of people do not know the drink drive limit. There is no excuse these days for drink driving. Portable breathalysers are available that enable drivers to check if they are near, or over, the limit. AlcoSense make a very reliable one which is avilable online direct from them or from Boots. Publicans could also do more to encourage customers not to drink drive. In parts of Europe, the US and Canada bars have breathalyser units mounted on the wall so drivers can test themselves before they leave the bar. Why doesn't the Government encourage publicans to install them here.
By roger1969 at 11:34 on 10/01/12
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