Nottinghamshire Police Crack Down on Festive Drink & Drug Driving
Nottinghamshire Police have launched a tough new campaign to stamp out drink and drug driving this Christmas. Officers across the county are cracking down on intoxicated drivers to keep roads and communities safe during the festive season.
222 Arrests in Four Weeks
In just four weeks leading up to December 18, police arrested 222 drivers. Of these, 151 were suspected of drink driving, with the rest caught drug driving. The force’s fierce new crackdown aims to drive down these shocking numbers.
The campaign, called ‘A Deadly Mix’, was sparked by grim stats revealing 263 people were injured or killed in drink-related crashes in Nottinghamshire between 2018 and 2020.
Posters, Beermats & Bus Ads Hit the Streets
- Over 2,000 posters warning of the dangers of drink driving plastered across Nottinghamshire pubs
- 5,000 beermats handed out with hard-hitting messages
- Bus adverts on nottingham/" title="Nottingham" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Nottingham City Transport vehicles reinforce the warning to thousands of daily commuters
Police also hosted roadshows in Trinity Square, Nottingham, where officers spoke directly to the public about the deadly risks of driving while over the limit.
Warning From Inspector John Lees
“We’re always on the lookout for drink and drug drivers, but during the festive period, more people sadly think it’s okay to jump behind the wheel after drinking. That’s why we’ve launched this campaign,” said Inspector John Lees.
“We’re carrying out targeted operations across Nottinghamshire to catch those putting themselves and others at risk. We hope shining a spotlight on these offences will make people think twice before getting behind the wheel. But the numbers show hundreds are still making the wrong choice and now face bans and fines.”
Heartbreaking Plea From Victim’s Wife
The campaign also features Clair Osborne from Mansfield Woodhouse, whose husband was hurt in a drink-driver crash in 2021. Now 48, she urges everyone to plan their journey home in advance.
“If you’ve got nights out or Christmas parties planned, then plan your lift home too. If anyone tempts you to have a drink when you’re driving, ask yourself: is it worth it?”
“I live with the consequences every day because someone chose to drink and drive.”
