Scarborough tops list for drink and drug driving arrests over Christmas during police crackdown

North Yorkshire Police said that drink driving arrests rose by 33 per cent on the previous year as 137 arrests were made between December 1 last year and January 1 2022.

A total of 29 drivers were arrested in Scarborough borough over the festive period, with 97 total drink driving arrests and 40 drug-related arrests, a 40 per cent decrease on last year.

Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton said: "I want to remind those who get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs – we are watching, and you will be caught.

"We are here to save lives. Drink and drug driving can, and often does, have catastrophic consequences – which our officers see first-hand.

"We want you to live and that’s why we do what we do, and we will continue in our efforts to take people who drink and drug drive off the roads in 2022."

The Christmas drink and drug driving operation formed a significant part of the York and North Yorkshire's Road Safety Partnership's Safer Roads strategy and focuses on safer road users, vehicles, roads, and learning lessons post-crash.

Zoë Metcalfe, North Yorkshire's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: "Tackling drivers who continue to drink alcohol or take drugs and then get behind the wheel continues to be one of the priorities for improving road safety across North Yorkshire and York.

"The threat these individuals pose to other drivers, cyclists, riders and walkers, as well as themselves is huge.

"It is clearly disappointing so many continue to be caught over the limit, but I am pleased the proactive approach taken by police is removing at least some of them from our roads."

Drink and drug driving campaign in numbers

Out of 25 arrests following a crash, 21 of those involved alcohol, and four were for drug-driving offences.

A total of 27 drink drivers were found to be twice the legal limit, and six were found to be three times the drink drive limit or more.

So far, six drivers have been sentenced, receiving driving bans ranging from 12 months to four years. Another 66 drivers are due in court over the coming weeks, police said.

Arrests by North Yorkshire boroughs

• Scarborough, 29

• Harrogate, 27

• York, 21

• Selby, 18

• Richmond, 14

• Ryedale, 11

• Hambleton, 10

• Craven, 7