Drink or drugs link to hundreds of crashes in Shropshire

Six people have died, 35 have been seriously injured and 201 left with minor injuries as a result of such collisions since November 2009 according to figures from the Safer Roads Partnership.

The figures have been released as an anti drink-driving campaign is launched by West Mercia Police in the run-up to Christmas.

Police will be conducting extra patrols to look out for drink-drivers in the county from December 1 as part of the crackdown.

Superintendent Lee Davenport said: "Despite many warnings over the years about the dangers of drink/drug driving, there are still far too many reckless drivers ignoring the devastating consequences.

"Alcohol and drugs both affect your ability to judge speed and distances accurately and slow down your reaction time."

Vicki Bristow, communications manager at the Safer Roads Partnership, added: "There are still people out there who feel they can gamble with drinking and driving and think they know how much the limit is but 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.

"Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive."

Earlier this month, figures from the Safer Roads Partnership revealed that between April 2011 and March 2012, 359 people were arrested for drink driving in the county.

Of this number 311 people tested positive for alcohol after a breath test.

Meanwhile 44 were found unfit to drive due to alcohol and drugs and four were found over the limit in charge of a vehicle.

However, the figures were down on the previous 12 month period, when 377 arrests were made.