Norfolk Police launch Christmas drink/drug driving campaign - There's #NoExcuse

There’s #NoExcuse

“I’ve only had two.”

“I didn’t feel drunk.”

“It has never been a problem before.”

Officers hear excuses, like those mentioned above, on a daily basis when they pull over drivers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

That’s why this year, Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies are calling on the public to consider there really is #NoExcuse when it comes to getting behind the wheel if you’ve had a drink or taken drugs.

Thanks to campaigns such as this, in the last 50 years, casualties on the road caused by drink driving has fallen dramatically. However, we recognise the temptation to drink and drive does increase over the festive period.

Alcohol is not the only threat to road safety. The Department for Transport have found a six-fold increase in the number of people caught driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

Combining drink and drugs and then choosing to drive can have catastrophic consequences as drivers who have consumed both are 23 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision.

Chief Inspector Vicky McParland of the joint Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team said: “It is important to recognise that the risk does not end with your night out. Most drink drive offences are committed between 7pm and 7am. You need to be mindful that you may still be over the limit the morning after if you have drunk alcohol or for several days if you have taken drugs.”

This year’s campaign starts today (Friday 1 December 2023) and will finish on Monday 1 January 2024.

As a part of the campaign, officers from the Roads and Armed Policing Team will be breathalysing every driver they speak to throughout the month. This gives us the perfect opportunity to engage with drivers and discuss the dangers of drink driving.

Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies have also secured funding from National Highways which will be used to purchase additional drug wipes to be used throughout the campaign. This funding will help to expand our testing capability and ultimately increase our chances detecting drug drivers on our roads.

Lawrence Seager, Regional Safety Programme Manager from National Highways said: “Driving whilst under the influence of drugs is not only illegal, but extremely dangerous, affecting driving behaviour in numerous ways.

“This can include impairment of awareness, judgment, and reaction times, putting both the user and other road users in danger.

It has no place in our communities and so National Highways fully supports this campaign.”

Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Giles Orpen-Smellie, said: “We all have a responsibility to ensure that our communities are safe places to live so one would hope that the consequences of being caught drink or drug driving would deter people from being so irresponsible but sadly this is not the case. Norfolk and Suffolk Constabularies together will continue to discourage drivers over the festive season, but we all have our part to play throughout the year to stop friends and family from getting behind the wheel intoxicated.”

See our campaign videos here which will be on our social media channels under #NoExcuse:

 

Anyone with information about suspected drink or drug driving should contact Norfolk Police via the following channels:

Report online: https://www.norfolk.police.uk/tell-us

Phone : 101 

Crimestoppers: Contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org

In case of an emergency, or if you believe a crime is in progress, always dial 999.

Don’t forget to follow the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Roads & Armed Policing Team on Twitter @NSRAPT for updates throughout the campaign.