Partnership News
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Over 34,000 drink and drug driving tests given in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire Police tested over 34,000 drivers for drink and drug driving in December making it one of the most active forces in the country. Drink drive figures for the December 2009 Association of Chief Police Officers-led campaign show that across South Yorkshire 33,964 drivers were breathalysed, with 251 testing positive for drink driving. Nationally, more drivers than ever were breathalysed as 223,423 tests were conducted and 7,638 were arrested.
Of those breathalysed in South Yorkshire, a large number were volunteers who were given the opportunity to try out the equipment so that they could learn more about the experience of drink-drive testing and the dangers of driving whilst over the legal limit. During the same period, a total of 157 Field Impairment Tests used to test motorists suspected of driving whilst under the influence of drugs were conducted with nine drivers testing positive. South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes said: "The high number of tests shows we are serious about keeping people safe from drink drivers. I'd like to thank not only my colleagues for working so hard, but also the public. "The drivers who gave us voluntary breath tests helped us show how law abiding most motorists are, and I apologise to them for any inconvenience caused. We want to now really focus our efforts on the small minority of drunk and drug-using drivers and we will be pursuing them relentlessly." From those arrested for drink and drug driving across the county, Sheffield accounted for 39% of all arrests, Doncaster 28%, Rotherham 19% and Barnsley 14%. Throughout December, the highly visible police enforcement was reinforced by a local advertising campaign organised by the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership. The ‘Drinking Like a Fish’ campaign was placed across the county and included a range of advertising methods such as pub display packs, bus advertising and evening street events in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield involving South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and South Yorkshire Police working together as part of the Safer Roads Partnership. South Yorkshire Chief Inspector for Roads Policing, Andy Male said: "This Christmas we focused on a reduction strategy rather than a conviction strategy, our aim was to educate the public and make them aware of the dangers of drink driving. "Despite our annual festive clampdown backed by the local advertising campaign, we still get situations where some people are up to four times over the limit and where others are double the drink drive limit when stopped the morning after. It is clear that drink driving kills people and is a factor in road traffic collisions, such instances are not acceptable on the streets of South Yorkshire." Chief Inspector Andy Male added that the strategy had a high level of public support and in some cases, out of curiosity, car passengers had asked officers if they could also provide a breath sample after the driver had been stopped, something that the police were happy to co-operate with.
