Hundreds held over festive drink or drug-driving

Four people had so far been banned from driving after being arrested, West Yorkshire Police said

Police arrested more than 300 suspected drink or drug-drivers across West Yorkshire over the Christmas and New Year period.

More than 100 of those arrested were suspected of driving under the influence of drugs, West Yorkshire Police said.

Ch Insp James Farrar, who heads up its Roads Policing Unit, said they had “heard plenty of excuses” from drivers over the festive period.

Some had been dealt with by the courts so swiftly that they had already been banned from driving by Christmas, the force said.

Officers made 229 arrests for drink driving between 1 December and 1 January.

This was down from 271 in the 2022 campaign, although that year covered a longer time period to include the 2022 World Cup which began in late November.

A total of 107 were arrested for drug driving, down from 168 the previous year.

A further 59 people were arrested for failing to provide a sample or specimen when stopped by officers.

'No excuse'

New Year’s Day saw the most arrests for drink driving, at 21, while New Year’s Eve saw the highest daily total for drug driving arrests, at nine.

So far, four people had been banned from driving, with fines of up to £1,065 also handed out by the courts, the force said.

Five more drivers had been given interim driving bans pending pre-sentence reports, while a further 50 drivers arrested in December were due in court in the next fortnight.

Ch Insp Farrar said: “Our 2023 campaign focused on some of the excuses people use for either drink or drug-driving.

“Our officers have carried out hundreds of breath tests and drug wipes and have certainly heard plenty of excuses over the Christmas and New Year period – but the fact of the matter is there is no excuse for drink or drug-driving.”

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