Drink driverscould be off theroad in days

Drink drivers caught over the Christmas period could be banned from the road in just ten days.
Drink Drive SUS-141128-140511001Drink Drive SUS-141128-140511001
Drink Drive SUS-141128-140511001

The Crown Prosecution Service is working with police to fast-track cases when the drink-drive crack-down gets underway.

For the first time the December campaign will be run jointly by Sussex Police and Surrey Police alongside Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, Drive Smart in Surrey and the independent charity Crimestoppers.

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Officers will be out every day targeting those who are driving after drinking or taking drugs but there will be an increased focus in December in the lead up to Christmas and the New Year celebrations.

Superintendent Jane Derrick, the head of roads policing across Sussex and Surrey, said: “I’m very grateful for the courts and the CPS working with us to make these extra slots available so that we can get drink and drug-drivers off the streets as quickly as possible.

“There is often a delay of a matter of weeks between an individual being charged and them appearing in court but these slots mean those charged with offences early in December could be dealt with by magistrates and banned from the roads in time for Christmas.

“There is no excuse for driving while over the limit or after taking drugs but there remains a small minority who refuse to believe that the law applies to them.

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“Don’t get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking or believe that you are still under the influence of alcohol from the night before - the loss of your licence is the Christmas present that no one wants.”

As part of Operation Dragonfly - the force’s year-round strategy to remove drink and drug-drivers from the roads - roads policing unit officers will be on dedicated patrols looking for offenders.

Teams will respond to tip-offs from members of the public who see someone they know has been drinking getting into a car to drive.

Stop checks will also be set up at locations across Sussex and Surrey, in particular at locations where there is intelligence that there has been a history of drink-driving.

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Motorists charged with drink or drug driving offences will have their names published and warning posters will be put up at sites where people were arrested during the Christmas 2013 campaign.

Officers will also tweet about people stopped on suspicion of drink or drug-driving offences.