Police warn of 'shameful risk' of Christmas drink-driving

Police have warned of the "shameful and incredibly dangerous risk" of driving after taking alcohol or drugs.

Last year a 14-year-old and an 83-year-old were among more than 300 motorists caught drink driving around Christmas.

On Thursday, police launched their winter anti-drink and drug driving campaign.

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said just one drink could kill and urged people to plan their journeys home safely during the festive period.

From the end of November 2018 to 1 January 2019, 11,500 people were stopped and tested by police.

Of those motorists, more than 322 failed and were arrested.

"That's 322 people who'll be put before the courts, 322 people who will lose their licences, 322 people who will have a range of consequences around social embarrassment, potentially losing their jobs, certainly facing retest before being allowed back on the road and facing significantly higher insurance bills," Mr Todd told BBC News NI.

"But, in many ways, those are the lucky ones that we caught before they were involved in either killing or seriously injuring a fellow road user, in which case they could be looking at a prison sentence."

Police say they will be running "targeted operations" 24 hours a day over the period.

Legislation introduced in 2016 allows them to carry out random breath tests at authorised vehicle checkpoints.

In addition, every motorist involved in a collision or who has been stopped by police on suspicion of any traffic offence will be breathalysed.

The message from police is simple: never ever drink or take drugs and drive.