METROPOLITAN Police has stated that throughout December it will continue to keep road users and pedestrians safe as it supports the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and European TISPOL Christmas Drink and Drug Driving Campaign.
From Monday, 3 December to Monday, 31 December, traffic officers from the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC), with support from borough policing colleagues, will be checking for motorists who are driving under the influence of drink and/or drugs, posing a huge risk to themselves, passengers, other road users and pedestrians.
Therefore, in the occasion of a driver being stopped for a moving traffic offence, involved in any road traffic collision, or is suspected of having been drinking or taking drugs, a breath test will be administered or a sample of saliva will be taken in accordance with the Met’s policy.
Police are now better equipped than ever to detect and penalise those who take the risk to drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Drug swipe kits have been rolled out across traffic officers, which allows them to detect a range of drugs from Class A to Class C. Officers will also be using the standard kits for alcohol testing.
Data provided by TfL shows that between April 2016 and February 2018, there were 269 fatal or serious casualties resulting from drink or drug drive collisions. Of the 269 incidents, 217 were due to drink driving (10 of which were fatal); whilst 52 were down to drug driving (five of which were fatal).
Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove, Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “Driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs will not be tolerated on London’s roads which is why the Met Police’s Roads and Transport Policing Command is launching this campaign over the seasonal period.”
