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Don’t drink and drive on New Years Eve!

Besi Besemar December 31, 2016

Police urge partygoers to arrange transport home and “Go cold turkey” on New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve partygoers are being urged to arrange transport home rather than drive as part of Surrey and Sussex Police’s Go cold turkey anti drink and drug drive campaign.

A total of 27 people have been arrested in the fourth week of the campaign (December, 20-29), including nine over the period of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

This year’s campaign has carried the simple message for drivers to Go cold turkey and have nothing at all if getting behind the wheel.

One of those arrested on Christmas Day included a 21-year-old man whose car was spotted driving with heavy front end damage by officers in St Peters Way, Chertsey at 9am. Officers noticed his breath smelt of alcohol and arrested him on suspicion of drink driving and driving without insurance.

Another driver, a 25-year-old man ended his shift early as a delivery driver on Boxing Day after crashing into a lamppost and fence in Camberley. Officers were called to the scene and the driver was arrested for drink driving.

On December 28 a 37-year-old man got his sense of direction wrong after driving onto the M25 towards Heathrow, when he told officers he was driving home to Haslemere. He was arrested for drink driving after pulling onto the hard shoulder near Egham.

Superintendent Chris Moon
Superintendent Chris Moon

Superintendent Chris Moon, Head of Surrey and Sussex Road’s Policing Unit, said: “Christmas and New Year is a time when lots of people are travelling on the roads to visit families. It is tragic there are still people who think it acceptable to drive on the same roads as those families and could potential cause a devastating accident.

“With New Year’s Eve coming up I would urge anyone going out to have a good time to think about how they are getting home as driving should not be an option. Book a taxi, arrange a pick up or have a designated driver – it could save your life.

“Any number arrested for drug or alcohol driving offences is one too many, but it demonstrates that we are taking this issue seriously in Surrey and are working hard to take offenders off the roads.”

The Christmas campaign launched on December 1 and the 2016 programme saw Surrey and Sussex Roads Policing Units carrying out dedicated patrols across the two counties. The initiative, which was supported by Drive Smart in Surrey, the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and the independent charity Crimestoppers, is set to run until Sunday, January 1 2017.

During the festive crackdown, Surrey roads policing officers will be tackling the issue on the roads network on a 24/7 basis.  Teams will be out day and night to educate the driving population and to deal with motorists who are found to be over the legal drink and/or drug driving limit.

If you see or suspect someone is driving under the influence of drink or drugs please tell Surrey Police.

Information can be passed via text on 65999 or by dialling 999 if the circumstances involve a driver causing immediate danger to others by driving when intoxicated.

Alternatively, you can call Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111, you won’t have to give your name, make a statement or appear in court.

Any information given will be passed on to the roads policing officers and acted upon. Officers will be tweeting about what incidents they deal with as and when they occur.

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