Drink drive campaign is hailed a success by police (From Warrington Guardian)

Drink drive campaign is hailed a success by police

A CHRISTMAS crackdown on drink driving across Crewe and Nantwich has resulted in the arrest of 59 motorists who failed breath tests.

The two-month campaign netted 32 drivers providing positive tests in November and a further 27 in December, from a total of 650 tests over the festive period.

Some of the positive tests were taken after drivers were involved in collisions and several were 'morning after' incidents, when the motorists were tested on their way to work.

Sergeant Martyn Campbell, of Crewe's Road Policing Unit said: "We took this campaign very seriously. Not only have we carried out a lot of breath tests but we pushed out the message in leaflets and staged a 'car crash' and rescue in the centre of Crewe to make people aware of the consequences of drinking and driving.

"We believe the campaign did have an effect. We would have expected the figure for positive tests to rise in December; in fact it was slightly under the November figure, despite the fact that we carried out a lot more tests.

"It indicates that we got through to a lot of people.

"In some cases the breath tests took drivers who had been drinking off the road before they caused serious problems for themselves and other people.

"But one positive breath test is one too many. Ideally we would like them all to come in negative.

"It is clear that despite all the warnings some people don't get the message that anyone who has been drinking is a danger on the road.

"They also ignore the obvious evidence that if you drink and drive you are likely to be caught.

"We'd just remind everyone that breath testing will not stop just because this particular campaign is ending. It's something we do all the year round.

"If you drink and drive at any time you are likely to be caught, and you will lose your licence."