Ten Caught Drink Driving Over Christmas

Friday, 5 January 2024 07:08

The custody cells at Police HQ in St Peter Port

Road checks by Guernsey Police over the festive period saw 10 people arrested for drink driving.

Police say that of those ten, three were classed as high risk, that's when a breathalyser reading is more than double the legal limit.

Technically, that's 87.5mcgs of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

Roads Policing Sergeant Andrew Smith says Police take a zero tolerance approach to drink driving:

“Everyone is aware of the dangers of drink driving these days, but unfortunately some people still think they are above the law and can get away with it.

We police it robustly all year round, but always put more emphasis on it through our comms in December, when more islanders are out and enjoying a drink for Christmas."

This year there were more checks in the mornings, to send out the message that it can take time for alcohol to dissipate and therefore some can be over the legal limit, hours after stopping drinking.

In all, there were 90 drink drive arrests in 2023, down from 111 in 2022. But this Christmas, arrests were double those of 2022, ten verses five.

Sergeant Smith says police will continue to target drink driving:

"It ends lives, not only those lives of the people reckless enough to commit the offence, but also those of innocent people who just happened to be using the roads at the same time. In 2024 we all know it, but don’t even think about drinking and driving.”