Christmas celebrations have been cut short for the 12 drivers arrested for failing breath tests in the run up to Christmas.
Since the beginning of December, Sussex Police have been conducting roadside breath tests, cracking down on those individuals who - either through ignorance or intent - take to the roads while over the legal alcohol limit.
From the morning of Saturday December 22 to the end of Boxing Day, 241 drivers were stopped at the roadside and 12 were arrested after they were suspected to be over the drink-drive limit of 35 microgammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath after failing a road side breath test. A further two drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs, one of them following a collision.
Superintendent Natalie Moloney, from Sussex Police’s Operations Department, said: “Every year, the vast majority of motorists make the decision to drive or to drink as they recognise the perils of mixing the two.
“However, there’s always a small minority who run the risk of spoiling not only their Christmas, but also the festivities of those around them by choosing to disregard common sense and the law.
“Mixing alcohol and driving is dangerous - and ignorance of the legal limit is no excuse. We urge everyone to think about when they’re next driving when they go out drinking - especially if they have to be up early the following morning when they might still be over the limit.
“If you know that you have to drive in the next few hours, it’s safest to avoid drinking alcohol at all. Alternatively, if you’ve got a journey planned for the following morning, give your body enough time to get rid of any alcohol from the previous evening before you get behind the wheel.”
Since the start of the Drink or Drive campaign, a total of 3,607 individuals have been breath tested at roadside stops in Sussex, leading to a total of 116 drink drive related arrests.
Sussex Police, and their colleagues in the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, are continuing to ask the community to report anyone suspected of planning to drive after drinking either by calling 101 or texting 65999 with details of the vehicle, driver and location.
Concerned individuals should call 999 in an emergency.