Anti drink driving push in York including random breath tests

Campaign launches by urging drivers to ‘Do one good deed this Christmas – be a designated driver’

Motorists in North Yorkshire are being encouraged to do a very simple good deed this Christmas – volunteer to be a designated driver.

Carnage: The driver of this vehicle was recently convicted of drink driving and other motoring offences following a crash in Ryedale.

It’s part of the county’s Christmas campaign to reduce drink and drug driving, which is being launched today.

Police are encouraging people to be designated drivers both during a night out with friends or colleagues, or to help them get to work the morning after a big night, then asking their friends to return the favour.

That way, everyone gets a night out and no one gets arrested.

Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton said: “While some people we encounter simply don’t care whether they break the law, others have gone out with the intention of ‘just having one’, but the atmosphere or peer pressure gets the better of them.

“We also arrest a lot of people the morning after a heavy session, and many are mortified to learn they’re still over the limit.

“As this is the season of good will, we’re asking motorists in North Yorkshire to do their good deed this Christmas. Good friends look out for each other. Volunteering to be a designated driver for your friends or colleagues just once, and asking them to return the favour, means everyone gets a night out and no one gets arrested. It really is that simple, but it could save a life.”

North Yorkshire Police arrested 123 suspected drink and drug drivers last December.

Many received driving bans of more than a year and were fined hundreds of pounds. Magistrates also gave community orders and suspended sentences to a handful of offenders.

All those who were banned also face sky-high insurance premiums when their disqualification expires.

Dave Winspear Group Manager Prevention for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We often attend serious road traffic collisions where alcohol has been involved. We encourage everyone to have alternative arrangements to get home from any event where they’ve had an alcoholic drink. We’d also like to remind people to be aware of the time it takes for alcohol to leave their system, as there’s a risk you could still be over the limit the following morning.”

North Yorkshire Police will be conducting random roadside checks across the entire county throughout December.

They will also be gathering intelligence about repeat offenders and targeting those individuals.

Help us keep North Yorkshire’s roads safe. If you know someone who regularly drinks and drives, call North Yorkshire Police on 101. If you see an offence happening or about to happen, report it on 999 immediately.

Police: 74 drink and drug driving arrests made since launch of Christmas crackdown

Woman driver in Richmond 5 times the legal limit!

North Yorkshire Police have now made 74 arrests for drink and drug driving since the launch of Operation Attention at the beginning of the month.

The third week of the campaign has seen another 26 arrests made and the highest drink driving reading being registered by a 40-year-old woman arrested in Richmond who blew 180 – over 5 times the legal limit.

Since 1 December:

• 17 drug driving arrests made

• 57 drink driving arrests made

• 15 arrests made where alcohol levels were more than double the legal limit

• Highest reading so far – 180 – provided by a 40-year-old woman arrested for drink driving in Richmond – over 5 times the legal limit

• 57 men arrested

• 13 women arrested

• 10% arrests – charged with failed to provide

Sgt Andy Morton of the Roads Policing Group said:

“The message is loud and clear: drink driving costs lives. It’s as simple as that. If you take a chance and get behind the wheel after drinking or taking drugs, you are not only putting your own life at risk but the lives of innocent members of the public.”

“The high number of arrests so far shows how serious and committed we are to catching drink and drug drivers and bringing them to justice. Remember, if you take the chance and think you can get away with it, we are waiting to catch you.”

“We continue to appeal to members of the public that if they know of someone driving under the influence of drink or drugs – please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”

Police say 16 drink and drug driving arrests made over the weekend.

North Yorkshire Police made 16 arrests over the weekend (12/13 December) as part of Operation Attention, their ongoing campaign to get drink and drug drivers off the roads.

Shockingly 12 arrests were made on Sunday alone, with one 67 -year-old man returning a alcohol reading of 92 – the third highest reading seen so far in this campaign, over two and a half times the legal limit.

Another worrying statistic was the number of drug driving arrests made this weekend. Of the 16 arrests made – a quarter were for drug driving.

This brings the total number of arrests made to 48 in just over two weeks of the campaign. A breakdown of the results so far:

13 drug driving related
35 drink driving related
8 arrests made where alcohol levels were more than double the legal limit.
Highest reading so far – 141 – four times the legal limit. (Provided by a 44-year-old woman arrested in S’boro)
40 men arrested.
8 women arrested.
10% arrests – charged with failed to provide.

Commenting on the progress of Operation Attention so far, Sgt Andy Morton of the Roads Policing Group said “The weekend’s activity shows that if people choose to break the law and drive under the influence of drink or drugs – we are out in force and waiting to catch them. We are determined to remove drink and drug drivers from the roads, so that they don’t pose a danger to law-abiding motorists.”

“If you are going out to have a drink, please ensure you have thought about how you will get home at the end of the night – leave your car at home.”

22 arrests made in the first week of North Yorkshire Police drink and drug drive campaign

In less than a week of Operation Attention, North Yorkshire Police have already made 22 arrests for drink and drug driving offences, resulting in 14 people being charged to court.

The highest reading so far has been provided on the fourth day of the campaign, by a 44-year-old woman arrested in Scarborough who blew 141ug – four times the legal limit (35ug per 100ml of breath.)

Other high readings include a 29-year-old man arrested in Catterick who blew 87ug – over two times the legal limit and a 21-year-old man arrested in Catterick who blew 88ug – two and a half times the legal limit.

Another drink driving arrest was made in York on Friday morning, where a 32-year-old man provided a reading of 60ug, one and a half times the limit. He had a child in the car with him at the time.

With the festive season upon us and lots of Christmas nights out planned, North Yorkshire Police is encouraging people to plan how they will get home and if they are intending to have a drink, to leave their car and not risk driving whilst under the influence.

Alongside detecting drink driving, officers are also operating roadside drug screening tests. Already there have been two positive results for drug driving – a 67-year-old man who is currently on police bail and the other a 29-year-old man, who is also on bail.

Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton of the Force’s Roads Policing Group said:

“Every Christmas we try and educate people about the devastation and heartbreak that drink and drug driving can cause. We appeal to members of the public that if they have information about anyone who is driving under the influence of drink or drugs, please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and pass the details to the Force Control Room.”

“For those who would prefer to remain anonymous, please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. You could save someone’s life.”

“Anyone who is considering driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs should know that we will be out and about waiting. If you are convicted, be aware that you face disqualification from driving a hefty fine and the possibility of a prison sentence.”

North Yorkshire Police make 111 drink and drug driving arrests in 30 days – 27 are in York

As the summer drink and drug drive campaign comes to an end North Yorkshire Police want to remind drivers that the fight against drink and drug driving is far from over.

111 arrests have been made as part of this summer’s campaign which has been running between 1st and 30th June. 40% of people arrested have been at least twice the legal drink drive limit and 12% have been three times the legal limit. In the same campaign last year only 6% were found to be over 3 times the limit, which is an alarming increase.

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Over 14% of those arrested were found to be under the influence of drugs with 10 people providing positive samples on new drug testing devices. In total Police have carried out over 850 breath tests during the campaign.

70 people have already been charged to appear in court.

Of those cases, Magistrates have been handing out some hefty fines and lengthy bans:

A 35-year-old man was arrested on the A1(M) near Sinderby with a reading of 78ug per 100ml of breath. He was given a £550 fine and ordered to pay £240 court costs along with a 46 month ban.

An 18-year-old man, arrested in Selby with a reading of 59ug per 100ml, received a £581 fine and was ordered to pay £285 court costs. He also received a 16 month driving ban.

Sgt Andy Morton of North Yorkshire Police Roads Policing Group said; “Whilst we are pleased we have taken these dangerous drink and drug drivers off the road, it’s very disappointing that people still continue to ignore the warnings and drink or take drugs and get behind the wheel. Not only are they a danger to themselves, they put everyone else on the road at risk.

“Drivers should be assured that drink and drug driving will continue to be a priority for us for the rest of the year. Whilst the national summer campaign may be over, the fight against drink and drug driving in North Yorkshire is not.”

He continued “We are out on the roads looking for people breaking the law. No matter what time of year it is, if you choose to drive under the influence of drink or drugs, we are out there and we will catch you. You will face a court appearance, a hefty fine, a driving ban and the possibility of a prison sentence.

“I’d like to thank the members of the public who contacted us about suspected drink and drug drivers. This has assisted us throughout this campaign, enabling us to take these people off the roads. Two drivers of heavy goods vehicles, one a tanker and one carrying steel, were amongst those stopped as a direct result of information from the public.

“I appeal to members of the public that if they have information about anyone who is driving under the influence of drink or drugs, please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and pass the details to the Force Control Room.

“For those who would prefer to remain anonymous, please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. You could save someone’s life.”

1 July 2015

Police say increase in high drink drive readings is worrying

The crack down on drink and drug driving continues with North Yorkshire Police planning a number of targeted operations over the coming weeks.

540 breath tests have been conducted with 61 arrests having been made so far.

Of particular concern from the arrests already made are the high levels of alcohol being detected.

Alarmingly 20% of those arrests have provided samples three times over the legal limit (35 micrograms per 100ml). During the same campaign last year only 6% of arrests provided readings of this level.

The highest reading taken so far was from a 58-year-old man arrested in the Malton area, who blew 139ug – just under four times the legal limit. He was later charged to Scarborough Magistrates’ Court and received a driving ban for 34 months and was ordered to pay £295 costs and carry out 300 hours of unpaid work.

A 42-year-old man who appeared at York Magistrates’ Court with a reading of 123ug/100ml received a 12 week suspended prison sentence, along with a 36 month ban and £315 costs to pay.

Four further cases have appeared in court this week; all received driving bans and hefty fines.

New road side drug screening devices are also helping North Yorkshire Police catch those driving under the influence of drugs. 13 arrests have been made so far due to positive drugs tests with three positive results for cannabis.

Sgt Andy Morton of the Roads Policing Group said “These prosecutions show that if people choose to break the law and drive under the influence of drink or drugs – we are out in force and waiting to catch you. Be assured, when we do, you will face a hefty fine and the possibility of a prison sentence.”

“If you are going out to have a drink ensure you have thought about how you will get home at the end of the night – leave your car at home.”

“We continue to appeal to members of the public that if they know of someone driving under the influence of drink or drugs – please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”