Public thanked as drink drive arrests decline despite huge increase in breath tests

There has been a decline in the number of people drink driving

Officers arrested 273 people on suspicion of drink-driving after a month of the Christmas anti-drink drug-drive campaign.

This is down 3% on the 281 arrests made in the same period last year.

The ‘Is it worth the risk?’ campaign was launched on Monday, December 1, 2014 and was aimed at targeting drink and drug drivers over the festive period.

It saw police targeting individuals they suspected of driving under the influence of drink or drugs, both on the way home from nights out and the morning after a heavy night.

Of those arrested 219 were men (a 5% decrease) and 54 were women, an 8% increase on last year’s figures for the same time period.

A total of 51 people arrested were under the age of 25 (a 15% decrease) and 222 were aged 25 or over, a 1% increase on last year’s figures. The average age of those arrested was 37.

In total, 152 of the 273 arrested have been charged, 63 have been released on bail pending further enquiries and 58 people have been released with no further action.

Of the arrests, 108 have been in Buckinghamshire, 105 in Berkshire and 60 in Oxfordshire.

Chief Inspector for Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Roads Policing Unit, Henry Parsons, said: “Can I thank everyone across the Thames Valley who have assisted our anti drink drive campaign, both by making the right choice and not drink-driving, or by passing vital information to us.

“During the campaign, we breath tested an estimated 9,000 people (up 50% on last year) and arrested 273 as a result. The fall in arrests against the backdrop of more tests is welcomed.

“Drink-driving affects many people every day, whether through causing death or serious injury, or offenders living with the consequences of criminal justice. By taking drink drivers off the road we hope to have made our road network safer.

“Whilst the Christmas campaign may have finished, we remain focussed on tackling drink drivers every single day of the year due to the significant risks they pose.”