Wimborne: Rise In Drink Drive Arrests In Dorset

It was the first Christmas period in a long time that I didn't see a single motor vehicle accident, but yet figures released by Dorset Police show an alarming rise in cases of drink and drug driving in December.

The total number of people arrested in December 2011 for drink or drug driving was 133 compared to a total of 90 for the same period last year.

The most disappointing aspect of the figures is that since 2006 the drink and drug driving arrests have decreased year on year, but have risen by about 33% this year. Could this be attributed to the lack of a drink drive campaign on TV this year, or is it down to more people being aware and reporting drivers they suspect to be drink or drug driving?

Of those 133 arrests 113 were men and 20 were women, with a total of 31 drivers arrested after they were involved in a collision. That leaves 102 drivers arrested either thanks to tip offs from concerned members of the public, or the increased number of roadside checks.

Another alarming statistic is that 43% of those arrested were under the age of 30 and in the last year 4 out of the 18 fatalities that occurred on Dorset's roads were drink or drug related.

Stay safe in Wimborne and take a cab if you've had a drink. That life you save might just be your own.