One arrested following Durham City drink drive checks

Drink drive checks were carried out in Durham City this morning following last night’s England match.

We’re pleased to say that out of the 163 breathalysed, just one driver provided a positive breath test. He was arrested and taken into custody.

Another was found to have alcohol in his system but was under the drink drive limit. He was shocked to realise that despite having his last drink at 9pm last night, he still had alcohol in his system this morning.

Vehicle safety checks were also carried out by officers, which found:

• One front seat passenger not wearing a seatbelt
• One car with a defective tyre
• Another with a defective exhaust and headlamp

Drivers were required to complete a quick eyesight test before leaving, which they all passed.

As we head into the summer, our roads policing officers will be carrying out further drink drive checks across County Durham and Darlington at various times of the day.

Pete Tate, Durham Constabulary’s Casualty Reduction Coordinator, said: “People might wonder why we’re carrying out drink drive checks on a morning as well as an evening – this is because alcohol can stay in your body long after you’ve finished drinking the night before.

“Alcohol breaks down half an hour after your last drink at a rate of around one unit per hour. To put this into perspective, there are around 15 units in five pints.

“While the vehicles are stopped, we’re also giving them a quick safety check and checking the driver’s eyesight. We are finding there are a lot of people with uncorrected eyesight who represent a massive risk on the road.

“We want people to enjoy their summer, but our advice is simple – if you’re due to drive, stay off the drink, and ensure your vehicle is roadworthy.”

The operation was supported by the Office of Durham Police and Crime Commissioner.

PCC Joy Allen said: “Drink or drug driving is never acceptable or excusable. Those who choose to gamble with the lives of innocent road users in a moment of selfishness or recklessness should face serious consequences for their actions.

“There is no safe limit. Everyone’s tolerance is different and the ability to drive and react can be compromised by a small amount of alcohol. Still, too many drivers ignore the perils and persist in taking risks that could rob a family of their son, daughter, mother or father. This has to stop.

“Drink or drug driving is a crime against our communities and together we must act to avoid further unnecessary deaths. I will be supporting this campaign by encouraging members of the public who suspect drink or drug driving to act on their intuition and alert the police.”