Hundreds tested for drink and drug driving in West Midlands - including an e-scooter driver

With Christmas almost upon us, there will be some concern over a minority of irresponsible partygoers who risk mixing revelling with taking to the roads.

Each December sees a spike in drink drive offences in the UK, despite campaigns warning of the dangers that it puts lives at risk.

The rules on drink and drug-driving are straightforward, with clear limits and punishments for breaking them - the legal alcohol limit in England is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Drivers risk up to six months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine and a substantial driving ban if they are caught driving while above the legal limit.

Anyone who causes a death while drink or drug driving faces up to 14 years’ imprisonment.

And police are now urging people to be careful and to think of the safety of themselves and others this Christmas, after revealing that dozens of people across the West Midlands have been arrested for drink or drug-driving so far this month.

West Midlands police have confirmed that 85 people have been arrested in the county for drink or drug-driving since the start of December.

What do the figures show?

During the first fortnight of the force’s drink drive campaign (1-14 December), West Midlands police carried out 225 breath tests.

Out of these, 23 of were positive.

And more than half of the drug wipes administered during the first fortnight tested positive (12 out of 20).

Last week officers arrested a drink driver in a 38 tonne HGV and on Tuesday (14 December) they stopped a drug driver under the influence of cannabis, who was riding an E-scooter at speed in the dark and very nearly ended up under the wheels of a passing car.

One also driver blew 108 at the roadside on the M6 – more than three times the legal limit and is the highest reading so far this month.

What have West Midlands police said?

Inspector Steve Radford, from our Central Motorway Police Group, said: “Our aim is to keep the community safe from harm this festive season.

“We’ll be conducting checks across the regions motorway network and local roads and will also be looking at drivers early in the morning, to target those risking driving the morning after a night out.

“Many people don’t realise just how long alcohol stays in your system, making it unsafe to drive the following morning. “We have sadly seen time and again that people are willing to risk driving under the influence of drink and drugs and this criminal behaviour is deeply irresponsible. Drink driving destroys people’s lives and those of their families.

“Enjoy the festivities, but plan ahead, leave the car at home and use a taxi, public transport or a designated driver to get home.”

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