Christmas Drink Driving

This Christmas has seen 1,230 people arrested for drink driving across London according to London's Met Police.

Surprisingly the police report that more people are found to be drink driving in London between 6am and 11am (5 hours) than immediately after the pubs close between 11pm and 1am (2 hours).  This is no doubt because many people fail to realise that they can be over the drink driving limit when they wake up after drinking alcohol the night before.

This year the police in London have been stopping drivers almost at random and conducting breath tests.  As well as the normal breath tests the Met Police have also been conducting drug impairment tests, which aim to detect drivers who are unfit to drive because they have taken drugs, which could be anything from medicine you pick up at the chemist through to heroin or cocaine.

London based Met Police Chief Inspector Nick Hancock made it very clear that the police in London are out to get anybody suspected of drink driving and that they view it as a serious offence.  He said, "It is important to remind all drivers that regardless of the time of day they are caught - be it when they are taking children to school, popping to the shops or coming back from work - they will face the same serious consequences as someone who has chosen to drink heavily and driven at night. Ignorance about the drink drive limit is not an excuse that will stand up in court or change the outcome of a serious road accident caused by drink or drug driving."

He went on to say, "The tragedy is many well-meaning people who are very conscious of drinking and driving are hopping behind the wheel in the morning when they are over the limit and therefore unsafe to drive. Drinking the night before will impair their driving, make them unfit to drive and over the limit. This could cost them their job through - a loss of licence or a prison sentence - as well as endangering their own life and that of other road users."

The message is clear.  If the police think you were drink driving in London they will do all they can to prosecute you and, if possible, send you to prison.  But, you don't have to accept that the police are always right or that prison or a loss of a driving licence is inevitable.  Contact London Drink Driving Solicitor today and get a real expert solicitor on your side.