ARRESTS for drink driving are down by 20 per cent down on last year, as the first figures from Thames Valley Police’s Christmas campaign safety were revealed.

Of the 56 arrests across the force region, 20 have been in Buckinghamshire, as police continue their ‘Is it worth the risk?’ campaign launched on December 1.

The campaign, which runs until January 1, will see police targeting motorists they suspect of driving under the influence of drink or drugs, both on the way home from nights out and the morning after.

Chief Inspector for Hampshire Constabulary and Thames Valley Roads Policing Unit, Henry Parsons said: “People often ask us what’s the safe limit to drink and drive. The answer is that there isn’t one, please don’t mix the two, the consequences simply aren’t worth the risk, real people die and get injured.”

A total of 2,779 people have so far been breath tested, with officers saying the figures show a dramatic drop from the same period in 2013, when there were 70 arrests.

Of those arrested throughout the Thames Valley region, 46 were men (a 16 per cent decrease) and 10 were female (a 33 per cent decrease).

The oldest was a 63-year-old man arrested in Slough on 6 December and the youngest were two 19-year-old men arrested in Slough on 3 December and Aylesbury on 6 December for drug-driving.

The average age of those arrested was 35.

Of the arrests, 22 have been made in Berkshire, 20 in Buckinghamshire and 14 in Oxfordshire.

the ‘Is it worth the risk? ‘campaign will be running on Twitter and Facebook to keep you updated, so follow @ThamesVP or find the force on Facebook.