Thames Valley Police starts drink drive initiative discouraging Christmas law-breaking

Thames Valley Police has announced the return of its annual drink driving campaign, discouraging law-breakers throughout the festive period.

For the next month, starting today (December 1), and finishing on New Years Day, the force is teaming up with Hampshire Constabulary to prevent drink and drug driving.

Predominantly, the police will be completing additional breath tests and drug wipes.

Also the force hopes to launch extra educational projects explaining to the public the dangers of getting behind the wheel when over the limit.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: "Driving whilst impaired through drink or drugs can be a major contributory factor in increasing the chances of road users being killed or seriously injured in a road traffic collision."

This annual project has been named, 'Operation Holly', during last year's campaign, 527 breath tests and 105 drug wipes were administered in Thames Valley.

In total, 27 breath tests came back positive, 68 drug wipes also revealed wrongdoing.

Sergeant Dave Hazlett, said: “Every year we run Op Holly and every year we find that people still take to the roads having drank too much alcohol or having taken drugs that will impair their driving.

“Having even the slightest amount of alcohol or drugs in your system can have an effect on your ability to drive and will make it more likely that you or another road user could be injured, or in the most serious cases, killed.

“Not only is it important to plan how you are going to get home after drinking so that you are not getting behind the wheel, it is also important to plan the morning after.

“It’s always possible that you may still be over the limit the next morning. It can take hours for alcohol to leave your system and some drugs can stay in your system for a considerable amount of time too.

“Therefore, this festive season, please plan your journeys and think about how you are going to get home to prevent the possibility of families facing Christmas and the future without their loved ones.

“Don’t drink or drug drive – It’s not worth the risk.

“If you know of anyone who is drink or drug driving call 999 in an emergency, 101 with information or report via Crimestoppers.”