North Yorkshire Police arrested 151 people for drink and drug driving offences between 1 December 2024 and 1 January 2025 as part of their annual winter campaign.
Of the 151 arrests, 20 occurred in the Scarborough area.
The campaign, which launched on 1 December 2024, sought to combat the increase in drunk driving that occurs during the holiday season. Police increased patrols throughout the month and engaged with community members to educate them about the dangers of driving under the influence.
Here is a table showing the number of arrests for each area in North Yorkshire:
| Area | Number of Arrests |
|---|---|
| Harrogate | 35 |
| York | 34 |
| Scarborough | 20 |
| Selby | 11 |
| Hambleton | 17 |
| Rydale | 14 |
| Richmond | 11 |
| Craven | 9 |
Out of those arrested, 77% were men and 23% were women. 43% of those people arrested have now been charged and are due to appear at court or have already appeared over recent weeks. The rest have been released on bail or under investigation to allow for further work to take place.
Sadly, 38 of the drink and drug driving arrests made were as a result of those arrested being behind the wheel of a vehicle at the time of a road traffic collision. North Yorkshire Police say their statistics show that this figure has doubled in comparison to the past two years of data.
The highest evidential reading recorded was 157 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the legal limit is 35 micrograms.
102 people were arrested for alcohol related driving offences, 42 people were arrested for drug related driving offences.
Chief Inspector Tom Ibbetson of the Specialist Operations Unit at North Yorkshire Police thanked those who reported suspected drunk or drugged drivers. He stated:
“Firstly, I would like to thank all those who responded positively to our campaign by providing us with information and reporting drink and drug drivers, enabling us to take action to keep our roads safe.
Ibbetson also highlighted the campaign's efforts to demonstrate the lasting impact drunk driving can have on people's lives. Despite this, a "significant number of people" still chose to drive under the influence. Ibbetson said:
“As part of this year’s campaign we launched a video to highlight how people’s inconsiderate actions can leave devastation which lasts a lifetime. Despite us sending out this hard-hitting message at the start of December the figures make disappointing reading and show that a significant number of people have still made the decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence of drink or drugs. There is no excuse, and our officers are working hard on each individual case to do all we can to prosecute those responsible.
The Chief Inspector emphasised that the police will continue to target drunk and drugged drivers throughout the year. He said:
“Although the campaign has drawn to a close for another year, our work is ongoing all year round to tackle drink and drug driving. We will be out in force every day this year to target drivers who put themselves and others at risk in this way. The message is quite simple, we are not tolerating it and we will be relentless in our pursuit of those who flout the law and put other people’s lives at risk.”
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