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On the Beat: Don’t risk lives by becoming a drink or drug driver this Christmas

PC Sarah Ritchie.
PC Sarah Ritchie.

As a police constable within the Road Policing Division at Inverurie Police Station, I have experienced first-hand and all too often the devastating consequences that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can have.

My role is to promote road safety,  enforce road traffic legislation and carry out investigations into fatal and serious collisions.

When someone is killed in a road traffic collision we have a duty to investigate the circumstances of the collision with a view to being able to provide much-needed answers to their family and friends.

It is also important to gather evidence as someone may be charged and prosecuted if they are found to have committed an offence.

Driving under the influence of alcohol greatly reduces the reaction times of the driver and hazard perception as well as providing a false sense of confidence.

Those driving under the influence not only put their own lives at risk but also the lives of other road users and members of the public.

Whilst there is a large number of people caught driving under the influence throughout the year there is a notable increase in the volume of offenders during the festive period as more people venture out to licenced premises.

We are appealing to the public to help us reduce the number of serious and fatal collisions on north-east roads by not getting behind the wheel of a vehicle whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

If you are a passenger in a vehicle you should also be questioning whether the designated driver has had any alcohol or drugs.

High visibility checkpoints across the north-east will be carried out as part of our Drink and Drug Drive campaign throughout December and towards the festive party season.

I would urge road users to plan ahead, think about how you are getting home safely and most importantly think about how long alcohol and drugs can stay in your system the morning after.

If you are having to ask yourself how much alcohol you can have and still be under the limit, the safest thing to do is abstain from driving.

A drink or drug driving conviction stays on your licence for 10 years and could result in you losing your job, your vehicle being seized and prevent you from travelling to other countries.

If found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, the driver can be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison, receive an unlimited fine and a minimum two-year driving disqualification with the requirement to sit an extended driving test.

If you have concerns someone may be drink or drug driving, contact us on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Remember a drink or drug driving conviction isn’t just for Christmas, it’s for the next 10 years or more.