News

Hundreds arrested in festive drink-drive crackdown

By Stephen Lloyd
December 30, 2011

MORE than 200 people have been arrested during a festive drink-drive crackdown by Hampshire police.

Of the 201 arrested between December 1 and December 27, 145 face a court appearance after being charged, 33 have been bailed and 23 released without charge.

Men accounted for 84.6% of arrests (170) and women 15.4% (31).

The greatest number of arrests were among 20 to 24-year-olds at 45 (22.4%), while the second greatest number (28) involved 25 to 29-year-olds.

The lowest number of arrests (9) involved 17 to 19-year-olds, while drivers aged 60 and over accounted for 16 arrests.

The highest number of arrests (52) has been in north and east Hampshire.

Insp Martin Goodall of Hampshire Constabulary said: “The figures have continued to rise since the campaign began on December 1, and are both good and bad in equal measure.

"Good because we are catching these people and handing them over to the courts and bad because these numbers suggest that people are still simply not heeding the warnings about drink-driving.

“Alcohol is not so important that it is worth risking your life and the lives of others. It’s a drink. How can anyone compare that with someone’s life and the lives of those left behind?

“Whether you do it out of ignorance or arrogance, the risks are the same.

"Let’s hope it doesn’t take a fatal car crash to make people sober up to the fact that drink-driving kills.”

| Submit Comments | View Comments (2)

« Previous Story | Next Story »

Most recent user comments 2 of 2

Show 15 | 25 | 50 per page

Sleepy your idea could mean someone having a desert with an added alcohol could fail a test, also a small bottle of beer the night before could also mean a fail, so zero would not work, the people who have no control will never change.

clamicil per-inger
03/01/2012 at 12:19

individuals need to have a personal zero tolerance of Alcohol when driving. - it is simple - really simple. There is no excuse for drinking and driving - we have all seen the consequences of this, i doubt there is one person in this country that has not been touched by the devastation that comes from an accident resulting from driving under the influence - even if we just read about it in the local paper or it touches us directly. what is interesting in the stats above is that the young drivers are more sensible than the next age group covering 20 years up to 30 years. The highest number of offenders are men and i sure if the statisticians amongst us were do some analysis we would find a direct correlation with the number of deaths amongst young males age 20 - 30 years and traffic accidents. No parent should have to bury their child. My son has started to drive and rule number one is ZERO DRINK DRIVE and that is for life. My husband is a lorry driver and the rule is ZERO DRINK DRIVE and no alcohol consumption during the week. it really is that simple - you as an individual make that choice.