December means the annual police operation to stop people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. All police forces in England and Wales will be running what they describe as intelligence-led operations across the country to target drink and drug driving in areas where they are more common, and particularly around Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Forces are sharing awareness campaigns to remind people that it is never worth the risk to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
This year police forces are also telling the stories of people who are facing Christmas without loved ones because of drink or drug driving. Greater Manchester Police are working with a mother whose 27-year-old son was killed in a car in 2009 when he took a lift. The woman works with police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and other campaigners to point to the harm caused by drink and drug driving by saying clearly: the only sensible amount to drink before driving is none. In Greater Manchester for example, almost 2500 motorists were breathalysed as part of last year’s equivalent operation, when more than 500 either returned positive test results for alcohol or drugs, or drivers failed or refused to take the test.
Police stress that getting behind the wheel after drinking or using drugs is a lapse in judgement that can have terrible consequences. There is no foolproof way of calculating how much you can drink and remain under the limit, or knowing how much a person can drink and still drive safely. Importantly, it is hard to calculate how long alcohol may stay in your body if you are driving the morning after; so the safest option if you are driving is to drink no alcohol at all.
National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Lead for Roads Policing, West Mercia Chief Constable Anthony Bangham said: “Every year police forces deal with cases of drink or drug driving that directly result in families facing Christmas without loved ones. Yet thousands of people still get behind the wheel after drinking or taking drugs – so this year we are supporting forces who want to tell the personal stories of lives lost and families torn apart.
“Our recent operations have shown higher rates of detection for drugs and alcohol than in recent years which means the scale of the problem is still a real concern. We remain committed to enforcing the law which says that if you drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs you can face an unlimited fine, disqualification from driving, and more than a decade in prison. Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs in your system can affect your ability to drive safely – don’t let your friends and family pay the price.”
