Northumbria Police release footage showing drink and drug drivers being caught

Captured on bodyworn cameras, drivers with glazed eyes can be seen unsteady on their feet while slurring their words and often protesting their innocence to officers.

Northumbria Police have released the compilation of clips to again highlight the danger that drink and drug-fuelled motorists pose to both themselves and every other road user across the region.

Each of the drivers featured have since been disqualified from the road, but with more than 1,000 people injured in collisions involving a suspected drink of drug-impaired driver in the North East since 2018, officers feel more must be done to help spread the message.

From Monday (August 21), Northumbria Police will once again be taking part in a national campaign looking to tackle drink and drug driving through both enforcement and education.

Led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), officers from the Force’s Motor Patrols and Operation Dragoon road safety team will be carrying out increased patrols and spot-checks across the region’s major roads – in order to protect everyone from the dangers of driving over the limit.

Sergeant Glen Robson, of Northumbria Police, said: “Everyone knows that the consequences of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs can be catastrophic, yet some people continue to roll the dice with people’s lives.

“Driving after having consumed excess alcohol or drugs continues to rip families apart, and far too often our officers have to knock on the door of a family member and deliver the most devastating news.

“They have to watch as that person’s world falls part, and too often it is completely avoidable, with alcohol or drugs having been involved.

“It is absolutely vital that everyone sits up and take note. Drink or drug driving significantly increases the likelihood of serious injury or deaths on the road. That’s why we are proud to be supporting next week’s national operation.”

Latest figures supplied from Road Safety GB NE show more than 1,000 people were injured in collisions involving suspected drink or drug-impaired drivers between 2018 and 2022 across the North East.

Of those, 312 were seriously injured and 31 killed – accounting for 15 per cent of all fatalities on the roads during this period.

In Northumbria alone, 429 people were injured in collisions involving drivers believed to be over the prescribed limit for alcohol or drugs – with 110 sustaining serious injuries and 13 people killed.

Sgt Robson added: ““We all have a responsibility to make our roads as safe as they possibly can be.

“Please don’t take the risk, and do not let anybody you know get behind the wheel while under the influence of drink or drugs. By intervening, you could potentially save lives.”