Further increase in drink/drug driving arrests

Hampshire Constabulary figures reveal greatest number of arrests in north east Hampshire

DRINK and drug drive arrests are up 18.4 per cent on last year, according to figures from the first 18 days of Hampshire Constabulary's anti-drink/drug driving campaign.

The force has revealed that 148 people have been arrested across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight since December 1 – an 18.4 per cent increase on last year's 125.

A total of 108 people (73 per cent) were charged with drink-driving, 20 were bailed (13.5 per cent) pending further enquiries and 20 released with no further action.

The greatest number of arrests were made in North and East

Hampshire, with 43, followed by central Hampshire – Fareham, Gosport, Winchester and Havant – which had 29. The Test Valley, Eastleigh and the New Forest area had 25 arrests, Southampton 24, Portsmouth 16, and the Isle of Wight 10.

An officer with Hampshire police's roads policing unit, Pc Mark Clarke said that they were keen to drive home the message that drink-driving “ruins lives”.

Pc Clarke said: “It kills, it maims, it's the reason relationships break down and jobs are lost. So why are people still getting behind the wheel?”

Ten of the arrests were made between 5am and 10.59am – the morning after a night of drinking.

Insp Martin Goodall, also with the roads policing unit, said that most people wouldn't dream of driving in the evening following a lunchtime drinking session, but that alcohol would also still be in the system the morning after an evening of drinking, despite a night of sleep.

“It's the same for those who are still drinking at 1am when they are off to work at 7am the following morning,” he added.

In the past week (December 12 to 18), 940 vehicles have been stopped and 664 breath tests carried out.

The highest number of arrests were made on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, between midnight and 4.59am.

The majority of arrests on Friday happened after 5pm, on Saturday after 7pm and on Sunday between 9pm and 11.59pm.

Of the arrests, 128 (86.5 per cent) were male and 20 (13.5 per cent) female.

Thirty-four were aged between 21 and 25, 23 were 41 to 50, 21 were 26 to 30, 19 were 31 to 35, 18 were 36 to 40, 13 were 51 to 60, 11 were aged 61 and over and nine were aged 17 to 20 years.

Hampshire Constabulary is asking members of the public to text 80999 to report, anonymously, anyone they suspect of drink-driving, or being drug impaired behind the wheel.

The text should include the location the driver was last seen in, the direction of travel, and vehicle details – especially the number plate.

Anyone witnessing a drink-drive offence can telephone the emergency number 999.