Almost 300 drink and drug drivers arrested in Essex in December 2023

Almost 300 drink and drug drivers were arrested on roads in Essex in December (credit:Google Maps)

Almost 300 drink and drug drivers were arrested across Essex in December 2023.

The arrests came as part of a Christmas drink drive campaign – where officers on the Roads Policing Team dedicated their work to focus on the issue.

Last year’s campaign, called “Drink Driving – Together we can stop it”, launched on Friday, 1 December.

Over the month, 296 drivers were arrested. Of those, 142 drivers were arrested for drink driving, 113 drivers were arrested for drug driving and 41 drivers were arrested for failing to provide a specimen.

The number of drivers arrested for drink driving was up from 103 and the number of drivers arrested for failing to provide a specimen was up from eight in the same period in 2022.

Essex’s Head of Roads Policing, Adam Pipe, said: “Our priority is, and always will be, to keep the roads moving and to be safe for all our road users.

“My officers will continue to work hard to tackle the road-related issues that affect our communities the most.

“Drink and drug driving is against the law, and yet each year, a number of drivers believe that they can get behind the wheel and drive safely. It’s not true – alcohol and drugs in your system impairs your reactions and you pose a danger to not only road users, but also to yourself.

“My Roads Policing officers arrested more drink drivers in December 2023 compared to the previous year, but we’re not complacent and recognise that this is an issue that doesn’t stop just because it’s a new year.

“They’ll continue to proactively patrol the roads, whether they’re the strategic main roads or the rural roads, to identify and target drink and drug drivers and take appropriate action to make sure all road users are safe.

“We’d continue to ask the public to support our work and if they know of anyone who is drinking or driving, to contact us on 101, or in an emergency call 999.”