West Yorkshire Police crack down on drink drivers in Wakefield

Officers from West Yorkshire Police have been out breath testing drivers as part of a summer crackdown.

Drink driving offences traditionally increase during the summer as people stop off at the pub during the better weather and lighter nights. Officers have arrested 156 people for being over the limit in June.

Insp Joanne Field, from West Yorkshire Roads Policing Unit, said: “We have increased our patrols to specifically target people risking their own lives and the lives of others by getting behind the wheel when over the limit.

“The results of such a decision can have far reaching consequences. Motorists face losing their licence, which can start a domino effect leading to the loss of employment and property.

“People have died because of the actions of motorists driving whilst over the limit. One of the hardest jobs faced by a police officer is to tell the family a loved one has died – a task made all the more difficult when it happened because of one misguided decision.”

Officers have also been stressing the importance of not driving while still over the limit the morning after.

Inspector Field said: “The World Cup is still taking place and there is perhaps the temptation to either drive home or to drive the following morning after drinking late into the night.

“We want people to watch the football and to have a good time and enjoy the spectacle – but that is not an excuse to take a risk and get behind the wheel when you are over the limit.

“The morning after can be just as dangerous, so if you have been drinking late then there is a good chance you will not be fit to drive the morning after.

“It is great to see that drivers are heeding the message that driving under the influence of drink or drugs is not worth the risk, but the number of arrests shows that people still do it and we will arrest people who do.”