Number of 'morning after' drink drivers increases (From Bucks Free Press)

Number of 'morning after' drink drivers increases

5:22pm Wednesday 9th January 2013 in News By Andy Carswell

THE number of motorists arrested after being caught over the drink-drive limit the morning after a night out went up during Thames Valley Police's annual Christmas crackdown.

Overall fewer people across the force area were arrested after failing a breath test, with a total of 37 drivers in Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks being caught out.

Officers also noticed a reduction in the number of collisions and traffic offences committed during the now traditional December drink-drive campaign.

But the total number of people arrested the morning after rose from 8.4 per cent in December 2011 to 9.3 per cent in last month's crackdown - and there was a nine per cent increase in the number of female drivers failing tests.

Overall 278 drivers were arrested for driving with excess alcohol between December 1 and January 1, a reduction from the 299 arrested in the same period in the previous year.

A/Supt Henry Parsons, Head of Road Policing for Thames Valley and Hampshire said: "It’s really encouraging that we have seen a decrease in the number of people arrested for drink driving this year.

"However it is still disappointing to see that there are still people are still prepared to take that risk.

"This year, we focused on those who drive the morning after a night out and the figures also show that many of those who were caught had not allowed themselves enough time to recover after a heavy night."

He added: "Although our drink drive campaign finished on January 1, we focus on arresting drink drivers 365 days a year. Our message is that if you drink and drive, we will be looking to arrest you and put you before the courts.

"If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive. It’s too dangerous and not worth the risk."

The figures released today show that 20 arrests were made in the Chiltern and South Bucks police area and another 17 in the Wycombe force area. A further 16 were made in Aylesbury Vale while Milton Keynes saw more arrests than any other area in the Thames Valley, with 38.

The combined total of arrests made in Bucks was 91, compared to 113 made in Berkshire and 74 in Oxfordshire. They were made after 6,585 random roadside tests were made.

Police said the highest recorded reading came from a 33-year-old man from Banbury, who had 168 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - nearly five times over the legal limit of 35 milligrams.