West Mercia police chief frustrated at drink drive increase
A top West Mercia Police officer has said it is "staggering" that drink driving seems to be on the increase.
The force has been carrying out its annual crackdown on drivers over the festive period and this year has seen an increase in the number of breath test failures.
As revellers gear up for the weekend and then the New Year celebrations, the bid to get drivers who are under the influence off the road continues.
The first fortnight of the West Mercia police's Christmas Drink and Drug Drive Campaign saw 246 people fail tests - 87 of them in Shropshire.
Chief Superintendent Kevin Purcell said the figure was unbelievable.
He said that until recently drink drive figures had fallen year on year, but that recently test failures had risen.
"We now have the capability to do drug swipes and that may have helped the increase," he said.
"But the fact that drink driving still seems to be social acceptable is staggering.
"People can die and be seriously injured as a result."
"If someone was running around Shropshire with a gun there would be outrage. Yet there are people out there who think it is fine to get behind the wheel of a car when their ability to drive is hampered by alcohol or drugs."
Chief Superintendent Purcell said the consequences for all concerned could be life changing.
"The driver will at the very least, lose their licence which could mean they lose their job. But then there is the cost if there is an accident
"It costs tens of thousands of pounds in emergency service and NHS money to deal with a road accident. But there can also be the cost of a life or serious injury and the cost that has on families."
He said the Drink and Drug Drive Campaign will continue through the New Year.
Attitudes
"This campaign will carry on for the whole of December, we have a push on for a month," he added.
"But it will also go through into the New Year.
"We need to change attitudes over drink or drug driving."
Police are also warning of the dangers of driving the morning after drinking or taking substances.
"If someone is drinking significant amounts up to 11pm or midnight then the alcohol will still be in their system the next morning."
A recent survey by Autotrader showed that nearly a fifth of UK motorists, equating to almost eight million drivers, would risk losing their licence for being ‘slightly over the limit’ over the festive period.
The survey also found that one in 20 UK drivers would get behind the wheel after having four or more alcoholic drinks, and that a quarter would get into the passenger with a driver they knew to be over the legal drink-drive limit.
Suzannah Robin, an alcohol safety expert at AlcoDigital, said: “The survey results are shocking, but no mention is made of the carnage and tragedy caused by alcohol-related accidents.
"In 2016 alone, alcohol accounted for 9,040 injuries or deaths on UK roads. Research has shown that even after just one drink you are three times more likely to have an accident; even one drink can affect reaction times dramatically."
