Drinking and driving still serious problem in UK
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Too many motorists drove under the influence of alcohol or drugs over Christmas, despite big campaigns about the dangers, police said on Wednesday.
During a four-week crackdown in December, 133,136 drivers underwent breath tests in England and Wales, and nearly seven percent were positive.
“Some drivers continue to consider themselves above the law, putting themselves and other road users at risk by drinking and driving,” said Meredydd Hughes of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).
The 2005 figures showed 8.6 percent tested positive after an accident compared with 8.75 percent in December 2004.
“There are no excuses for this behaviour,” Hughes said in a statement. “If people are confused about the amount of alcohol they can consume before driving, the advice is simple—do not drink at all if you are planning to drive.”
Edmund King, executive director of the RAC motoring foundation said it is worrying that the message was not getting through.
“These figures are further proof that the downward trend in drink-drive figures achieved over two decades has now stalled,” he said.
“The facts prove that we once again have a growing problem with drink and drug driving in the UK and that there is a need to understand why, despite years of campaigning, the problem still exists to this extent,” he added in a statement.
Police said the 9,275 drivers who tested positive now face court proceedings that could result in disqualification or even imprisonment.
Hughes said police forces had also focused on catching motorists driving under the influence of drugs. “A worrying 32.96 percent of the 540 drivers who were given the `fit to drive’ test were arrested for drug offences as a result of the campaign,” he added.
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