Cumbria Police along with the Cumbria Road Safety Partnership are seeking the public’s assistance in a bid to prevent a tragic Christmas.
Every year in December a national campaign is run to
encourage people not to drink and drive. However, every year people are still
being detected over the limit with either alcohol or drugs in their system
whilst driving.
In December 2014, 2907 breath tests were administered,
which resulted in 64 people either failing or refusing a test. This was a
decrease on the previous year where 97 people either failed or refused a
breathalyser test.
Of the 64 tests in 2014 which were either failed or
refused, 15 followed a road traffic collision. In 2013, 17 people failed or
refused a test following a road traffic collision.
Cumbria Police have worked with a local family to talk
about their experience involving a drink driver. In October 2013 a fatal one
vehicle road traffic collision occurred on the B5288, between Greystoke and
Motherby, near Penrith. A BMW, left the road and collided with a hedgerow and a
dry stone wall. The driver and two other passengers survived the collision, but
tragically 22 year old Dominic Matthew Loftus tragically died at the scene. The
driver of the car was a drink driver who was over the prescribed legal limit.
The parents of Dominic, Ian and Susan Loftus have spoken
to Cumbria Police about the impact this incident has had on their family’s
life. They have also spoken about the impact on their friends and local
community following this tragic event. In the video there is also a message for
anyone thinking of having a drink and getting behind the wheel this Christmas.
Please see the below an extended and a short video of Ian
and Susan Loftus describing their experience:
Chief Inspector Terry Bathgate from the Mobile Support
Unit, said,
“We echo the words of Ian and Susan Loftus that although
this is a Christmas drink drive campaign we want the public to be aware of the
consequences 365 days a year. We want to directly appeal to anyone thinking of
getting behind the wheel under the influence of drink or drugs to watch this
video and think twice about their actions.”
“Prevention is definitely best when it comes to reducing
the risk to people’s lives. We continue to appeal to members of the public to
contact the police when they suspect a person driving under the influence of
alcohol or drugs.
“Such calls will be treated as an emergency as lives
could be at stake and we hope that members of the public will be responsible
with this assistance.”
As well as intelligence-led checks patrols will be
carrying out regular spot checks on the county’s roads.
Chief Inspector Bathgate added
“Another area of concern that we would like to highlight
is the number of people who drive the morning after a night where they have
been drinking. What many can underestimate is the effect that this has the
following morning and some will get in a car thinking they will be fit to drive
when they are in fact, still over the alcohol limit.
“Our message is clear, don’t drive under the influence of
drink or drugs. It is easy to make alternative arrangements to get home. Don’t
ruin your own or other people’s Christmas by making a decision to drive whilst
under the influence, it’s not worth it.”
Below are links to Ian Loftus blog, and a video of their
son Reuben singing a song he wrote about his older brother at his funeral.
