Drink drivers top scale

25 July, 2006

Metropolitan Police say drink-drive arrests hit an all time high last month.

In the period from Monday, June 5 to Wednesday, July 5 Metropolitan police officers made 1,446 arrests, compared to 1,409 in the same period last year.

The increase has been blamed on the World Cup and the long period of warm weather this summer where drivers may spend a longer time out drinking.

The Met plan to combat the increase by ensuring that those who break the law are prosecuted. They are also upping their efforts in static vehicle checks in their area, which stretches from Essex to Kingston-upon-Thames. This involves slowing the traffic to a crawl and selecting individuals for vehicle and driver checks.

Chief superintendent Charles Griggs, of the Metropolitan Police Service traffic unit, said: “The continuing warm weather throughout the summer has encouraged socialising, but the increase in arrests has proved that we will not tolerate drink or drug driving. Those who continue to drink/drug drive will be caught.”