AN effort by local police to clamp down on drink driving over the Christmas period, has revealed that the message seems to be getting through to the majority of the public.
ÒOur efforts concentrated on the A31, the objective of which was primarily to detect drink drive offenders. We concentrated on this area following a high number of serious road collisions that have occurred on the road in the last year in particular,
ÒThe results of this initiative were that 46 vehicles were stopped for various offences. All drivers stopped provided breath tests and we are happy to report that all were negative.
ÒSix drivers were prosecuted for speed offences that were particularly dangerous for the road, one driver was reported for driving without insurance and a number of less serious offences were detected and dealt with appropriately.
ÒEvery driver who was stopped was receptive to the campaign and we are grateful to them all for recognising our efforts.Ó
However, it seems that the repeated warnings about drink driving are not being heeded by everyone. Over a more extended 13-day period, there were a number of arrests made in the Alton area for drink drive offences.
Local police told The Herald that over the Christmas period from December 20 to January 2, eight people were arrested as a result of failing breath tests.
Of the six men and two women apprehended, seven were as a result of stopchecks, and one arrest was made at the scene of an accident.
The accident occurred at 2-45 am on Tuesday, January 1, on the A339 at Shalden. Two cars were involved but no injuries were caused. According to police, not only was the man in question over the legal limit, but he was also in the process of serving a ban after being previously disqualified for drink driving.
Two of the people arrested were in their early 20s, three were in their early 30s, one was in their mid-40s, and two were in their mid to late 50s. Three of the people arrested are waiting for the results of optional blood tests.
Countywide, 689 people were breathalysed in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, as a result of being involved in accidents during the Christmas campaign. Just over six per cent of these provided a positive test sample.
The number of people across the counties arrested and charged with drink driving during December 2001, fell by 19 per cent when compared with the previous year.
Two hundred and seventy nine were charged with the offence in December 2000, while the figure for December 2001 was 225.
Despite the decrease, Hampshire police are taking the offence as seriously as ever. Hampshire ConstabularyÕs road safety inspector Peter Hughes, said: ÒAlthough the number of people arrested and charged has decreased since this time last year, too many people are still driving after consuming alcohol.
ÒThis is a very serious matter, especially for people who are injured and families who lose loved ones as a result.
ÒWe will continue to target drink drivers, this is not just a Christmas campaign. All drivers involved in collisions will be breath-tested.
ÒIf anyone is offered a lift by someone they know or suspect to have been drinking, they should make safe alternative arrangements for travel. They should not put their lives at risk by being a passenger with somebody who is not safe to drive.Ó