ESSEX Police have made a special appeal to drivers, urging them to be responsible and don’t drink and drive.
Over the weekend of 10-12 October, theyarrested 25 drivers for drink and drug driving, a figure that is totally unacceptable.
Head of Essex Police’s Road Policing Unit, Mr Adam Pipe, said: “My officers patrol the county’s roads each and every day to make sure they are safe and that drivers are upholding the law.
“Everyone knows that drink driving is illegal, and yet people still get behind the wheel knowing that they have had too much to drink, and that will make them an unsafe, irresponsible driver who could cause a serious collision in which someone could die or be maimed for life.
“Until something like that happens to you, you don’t know how you would react and what repercussions it might have on the future you.
“But simply put, it’s easier and morally right, to not drink and drive.”
Each year our Roads Policing Unit dedicates the month of December to policing activities that focus on drink and drug driving. Last year in a campaign called “Drink Driving – Together we can stop it”, 296 drivers were arrested – 142 drink drivers, 113 drug drivers and a further 41 drivers were arrested for failing to provide a specimen.
Mr Pipe added: “As our top priority is, and always will be, to keep the roads safe, my officers will continue to work hard to tackle the road-related issues that affect our communities the most.
“Anyone that thinks they can drive after drinking or taking drugs should know that we will take robust action to arrest those who compromise the safety we work so hard to achieve.
“Even the morning after the night before you can still be over the limit – alcohol and drugs stay in your system longer than you think: they impair your reactions and you pose a danger to not only road users, but also to yourself.”
Roads Policing Unit officers will continue to proactively patrol the roads, whether they’re the strategic main roads or the rural roads, to identify and target drink and drug drivers.
We’ve more than 700 officers trained to complete roadside drug tests in addition to all our colleagues in teams from across the force who can complete breath tests.
“It’s our collective responsibility to ensure no drink or drug drivers use our roads.” The force’s roads policing lead officer insists, “If you know of someone who is drink or drug driving, call us and we will deal.”
We’d continue to ask the public to support our work. If you know of anyone who is drink or drug driving, contact us on 101, or in an emergency call 999.
Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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