Police arrested 140 drink and drug drive suspects in Leeds and Wakefield in festive crackdown

WEST  Yorkshire Police arrested 264 people for drink or drug driving offences from December 1 2017 to January 1 2018 as part of its annual festive campaign.
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Out of the 264 people arrested, 98 were from Leeds and 49 were charged.

A total of 42 of those arrested were from Wakefield and 28 were charged.

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Police said 59 per cent of the 264 arrested across West Yorkshire were later charged with an offence, with others awaiting the result of further tests.

Police arrested 51 people on suspicion of drug driving, the highest number of arrests for the offences in December since 2015.

Of those arrested on suspicion of drug driving, three were later charged with more than 20 others awaiting the results of additional tests.

Of the 156 people charged with drink and drug driving, 87 percent of those were aged over 35. Of those, 119 were men, and 37 were women.

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The highest number of arrests during the campaign was on New Years Day when 18 people were arrested on suspicion of drink or drug driving.

Police Sergeant Gary Roper of the Force’s Roads Policing Support Unit, said: “We have once again seen a high number of motorists arrested for drink and drug driving in December, with the highest number of arrests being during the weekends.

“Thirty two percent of people were arrested between midnight and 3am, highlighting that many people are still choosing to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol or taking drugs - behaviours that we really want to encourage people to change.

"We have also continued to see a high number of people aged over 35 being arrested, and charged for the offences; something that continues to be a concern. These are individuals who have seen generations of drink driving campaigns and still have the opinion ‘It’ll never happen to me.’

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"We would all want people not to drink or drug drive, but, as people continue to take the risk of doing so, officers will continue to make arrests.

"Drink and drug driving can have devastating consequences; for the driver, their families, friends and other road users. We want everyone to be able to use the roads in West Yorkshire safely and will take robust action against those who put our communities at risk."