Early indication shows success but no cheer in drink-driving numbers

Early results show there could be a decrease in motorists caught drink driving over the festive period.

The official figures for England and Wales will be released by ACPO around January 15 but some forces are reporting reductions as high as 20 per cent.

There is however a worrying rise in the numbers of offences committed by women and young male drivers.

In the past decade the number of women convicted of drink driving has risen by 60 per cent.

Police in Scotland and Leicestershire still voiced fears over the numbers still flouting the law despite high profile advertising campaigns.

In Scotland, 133 of the 839 drivers who have been charged with drink or drug driving offences are female.

While overall figures in Scotland fell by over 7.5 per cent during a four-week campaign, police chiefs say they are still deeply concerned about the hundreds of drivers who continue to break the law.

Dorset and Avon and Somerset show drink drive arrests have fallen, but in Leicestershire figures rose slightly.

There was almost a one per cent rise in the numbers of drivers stopped in Leicestershire and Rutland – from 9.4 per cent in 2006 to 10.2 per cent in December 2007 – found to be over the legal alcohol limit. Of the 159 caught breaking the law, 59 were under the age of 25.

Sergeant Ivan Stafford said: “So many young drivers, especially men, are willing to risk losing their licence, livelihood and possibly their freedom with a drink drive conviction.”

In Scotland’s eight force areas 839 drivers were arrested for offences, a reduction of 69 on last year.

But police chiefs stressed that there is neither cause for celebration nor room for complacency.

Chief Constable John Vine of Tayside Police, said: “For many years we have been pressing home the message that not only is drink driving dangerous and socially unacceptable but the chances of being detected are greater than ever.

“Despite our efforts, a percentage of men and women continue to ignore the risks associated with this dangerous and foolhardy course of action.”

In Dorset, the number of people giving positive breath tests, or failing or refusing to provide specimens dropped by 13 per cent from 198 to 173.

This coincided with a 30 per cent increase in arrests, which the force attributed to a policy of early intervention.

In Avon and Somerset police drink drive arrests fell by almost 20 per cent during December.

Some 216 drivers failed a breathalyser and were held on suspicion of drink driving. In 2006, 260 drivers were arrested over the same period.

The campaign saw 2,000 drivers stopped across the force area per week.

Devon and Cornwall Police reported catching 335 people drink-driving.