More than 500 drivers arrested in summer drink-drive crackdown

File photo of a police drink-drive crackdown at Christmas 2015 in Portsmouth

An extra 110 drivers failed breath tests or were arrested for drug-driving offences compared to last year, Hampshire police said.

Drivers across the county and in Thames Valley Police's area were subject to the crackdown between June 14 and July 15.

This year 394 failed a breath test, compared to 316 in 2017. And 151 were arrested for drug-driving, up from 110 last year.

Overall 3,327 drivers were tested and 536 were arrested.

Road Safety Sergeant Rob Heard, said: 'We made it clear to drivers that we would be stepping up our enforcement for drink and drug driving and warn them against the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

'We also shared the personal tragedy of Karen Marchant, who lost her daughter to a drink driver in the hope that it would deter others from taking that risk.

'Sadly, there are still a significant number of people that think it's acceptable to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after consuming alcohol and/or drugs, risking their own life and other innocent people's lives.'

'I do not believe we have more drug drivers on the road, but simply the equipment has allowed us to detect them more easily. Over the last two years we have started using drug testing equipment more and more, with all roads policing officers carrying the drug analysers which they can use when they have a suspicion someone maybe driving under the influence of a drug.'

Key figures

:: 3219 drivers were breath tested, 394 of these failed the test (12.2 per cent).

:: 94 drivers who failed the breath test had been involved in a collision.

:: Out of the 394 who failed the breath test; 81 per cent were male and 19 per cent female.

:: The highest age group for failing a breath test were the under 25s (14.6 per cent).

:: 108 drivers were drug tested, 52 failed the test (48.1 per cent).

:: 16 drivers who failed the drug test had been involved in a collision (28.6 per cent).

:: Out of the 151 arrested for drug driving offences '“ 94 per cent were male and 6 per cent female.