Drink drive offences fall across the county, police chiefs say

The number of people caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the county has fallen, police chiefs say.
70 people from Leeds were charged with driving under the influence of drink or drugs last December70 people from Leeds were charged with driving under the influence of drink or drugs last December
70 people from Leeds were charged with driving under the influence of drink or drugs last December

A total of 98 people were charged in Nottinghamshire between December 1, 2015 ,and January 1, 2016, for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs – significantly lower than the 144 charged in November, which was a record high.

Between midnight and 8am on New Year’s Day, 14 people were arrested for either drink or drug-driving.

And there were no fatal collisions throughout the 2015 campaign period for motorists driving under the influence, compared with two the previous year.

The number is also considerably lower than over the same period in 2014, when 114 people were charged for driving under the influence.

Chief Inspector Phil Vickers, head of roads policing for the East Midlands, said: “I am pleased the work of officers has helped us crack down on people who think they are above the law and drive under the influence.

“Thankfully, this year has seen us have no fatal collisions caused by a driver under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, which is a testament to how hard officers have worked to make Nottinghamshire’s roads safer.”

The highest recorded figure of micrograms of alcohol in breath was four-and-a-quarter times over the legal limit, on December 19.

A 34-year-old woman has been bailed in relation to this incident.

Mr Vickers said: “While this progress is pleasing, we understand there is still a lot of work to be done,.

“Our dedicated roads policing team will continue to target those who get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or taking drugs throughout 2016.

“This also sends a message to people who think it is worth the risk, that we will find you and bring you to justice.

“The minimum sentence you can expect is a 12-month driving ban and a criminal record.

“I encourage anyone who knows a driver who regularly drives under the influence to call us and we will make sure we take them off the road.”

Nottinghamshire Police want people to contact them on the non-emergency number 101 to report anyone suspected of drink driving.