Don’t drink and drive this Christmas

Cumbria police are warning motorists not to drink and drive this Christmas.

The annual crackdown begins on Thursday 1 December and will run throughout the festive period.

The legal drink drive limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath or 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, which is difficult to quantify in terms of how many drinks a person can have, so police in Cumbria are urging people to stick to a ‘no drinks’ rule if they are planning to get behind the wheel.

Inspector Andy Wilkinson from Cumbria Constabulary’s Roads Policing Unit said: “People will use all sorts of methods to work out how many drinks they can have while staying under the legal limit, but it’s not worth the risk. It is far safer to avoid drinking all together if you are planning to drive.

“We don’t want to stop people enjoying themselves over the festive season, but the fact is that alcohol, even in small doses, impairs your reaction times and makes you more dangerous behind the wheel.

“Police are doing all they can to make Cumbria’s roads safer, but it is up to all of us to spread the word that drink driving is unacceptable. If you know someone who is taking the risk, confront them if you can, or report them to police.

“With a bit of planning, it’s easy to make sure your Christmas night out ends safely - nominate a driver who agrees not to drink or arrange to travel home in a taxi or on public transport.

“Many drivers forget that if you’ve been drinking the previous night you may still be over the limit the following morning, so think about how you are going to travel to work or get around the morning after the night before.”

Police officers will be enforcing drink drive legislation by conducting targeted road checks and will be educating people about the dangers of drink driving online when they launch their own Twitter account @cumbriaroadspol.

Chief Inspector Kevin Greenhow, who heads up the Constabulary’s Roads Policing Unit, added: “We are committed to making Cumbria’s roads as safe as possible and we will not tolerate anyone who endangers the lives of others by choosing to drive when under the influence of drink or drugs. People need to realise this issue is as much about personal responsibility as it is about police enforcement, so we would encourage people to pass the message on, and remind friends and relatives that drink driving is unacceptable.

“We all need to plan ahead this Christmas, to ensure we have a safe way of getting home after having a drink, whether that is with a nominated driver, on public transport or in a taxi.

“If you decide to drive whilst under the influence you are not only risking your own life, you are also putting other innocent road users at risk.

“The simple message is that if you choose to drink and drive in Cumbria, you will be targeted by police and will face the inevitable consequences that accompany a drink drive conviction.”