Christmas drink driving figures 'disappointing'

Date: 23/1/2012

Christmas drink and drug driving data released by the Association of Chief Police Officers has been described as disappointing by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

The figures showed 7,124 drivers were arrested for being drunk while behind the wheel between December 1st 2011 and January 1st 2012, with 5.73 per cent of motorists aged under 25 who were tested being taken into custody.

Police conducted 540 impairment tests due to concerns over drug driving during the month, with 91 arrests made as a result.

Head of Road Safety at RoSPA Kevin Clinton described the figures as "extremely disappointing but sadly not surprising."

"We cannot ease up on the fight to keep drink drivers off our roads," he remarked, adding the increase in drug impairment tests - 144 more were carried out than during the same month in 2010 - is welcome, but more needs to be done to make it easier for police to detect drivers who are under the influence.

This call was echoed by Senior Campaigns Officer at road safety charity Brake Ellen Booth, who said there is a need for police to be issued with roadside drug testing devices.

Posted by Sarah Bailey