Newsroom Archive

West Mercia Police has launched a publicity and enforcement campaign to raise awareness of the issues around drink and drug driving.  The topic is being highlighted across social media and local radio advertising across the region, and increased enforcement activity from police officers across West Mercia is also in place.

There is no fool-proof way of calculating how much you can drink and remain under the limit, or knowing how much an individual person can drink and still drive safely.  Importantly, it is hard to calculate how long alcohol may stay in your body if you are driving the morning after so the safest option if you are driving is to drink no alcohol at all. There are plenty of alternatives available with public transport, taxis and sharing designated drivers.  Pedestrians are also being encouraged to stay safe during the festive season and to plan safe routes home and to drink responsibly.

Figures indicate that, over the past three years 17 people were killed and 103 seriously injured in West Mercia following collisions where drink or drugs were recorded as a contributory factor. 

The campaign supports the month long winter drink drive campaign by the National Police Chiefs Council, which started on 1 December.  Police forces throughout the UK are working hard throughout December to make sure the roads are safe for everyone this Christmas and West Mercia Police will certainly be no exception to this.  Enforcing the drink and drug drive law is a 24/7 commitment for West Mercia Police and to reflect this police officers will be enforcing at all times of the day and night.

Last December, 155 people in West Mercia were caught drink driving.  Alcohol affects everyone differently, and so the message from West Mercia Police that the Council is sharing is 'don’t drink and drive this Christmas – it isn’t worth the risk'.