Drink drive total still rising (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Drink drive total still rising

10:20am Tuesday 8th August 2006 in Chippenham By An Editor's View

A total of 15 motorists have failed roadside tests in the week since police launched a crackdown on drink driving.

The theme for August in the force's OP XS campaign, targeting those who commit crime whilst under the influence of excessive alcohol, is drink driving.

Since last week's launch, nine motorists in the Melksham area, two in Salisbury and four in Swindon have all failed roadside tests.

A 55-year-old local man was arrested in the early hours of Sunday when he was spotted driving a Toyota Corolla along Yewstock Crescent, Chippenham. He has also been charged with drink driving and is to appear at North Wiltshire Magistrates Court on August 24.

In the early hours of Thursday morning in Swindon police responded to reports that two men were causing damage to a parked car in Rosebarry Street. When police arrived the suspects made off in a black saloon car towards Broad Street. A short while later a 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, and another on suspicion of drink driving.

Both men were later released, and bailed for further enquiries.

Inspector Nick Elton from the Force's Roads Policing Unit said: "It is disappointing that after all the warnings on the dangers of drink driving, there are still a few motorists who refuse to listen to the advice Wiltshire police and partners have given.

"Working in the Roads Policing Unit I have witnessed first-hand the devastation caused as a result of somebody's wrong decision to drive after drinking alcohol.

"We are determined to crack down on drink driving, and to make motorists aware of the dangers that they put themselves and others in when they choose to get into the driver's seat after consuming alcohol. My message would be to those who are tempted, think twice. It could be the one decision that you will regret for the rest of your life."

At last week's launch of the August theme of OP XS, Clare Brixey, whose 20-year-old son Ashley died in a crash in October 2004 at the hands of a drink driver, urged motorists to avoid driving when under the influence.

Insp. Elton added: "Clare has shared her daily pain and devastation after the loss of her son. We hope that her message, along with ours, will reduce the occurrence of such incidents".

Op XS was launched in June and in the last week there have been 173 incidents of alcohol-related disorder in Wiltshire resulting in 78 arrests.