Police warn - keep New Year happy

AS North Yorkshire Police's hard-hitting road policing campaign continues into the New Year, officers are pleading with motorists to stay safe and within the law as the festivities continue.

The operation, which is part of the '95 Alive' Partnership's festive drink-drive campaign, has so far seen 3,810 motorists breathalysed and 97 people arrested for drunk-driving.

Officers have so far spent over 1,700 hours patrolling the county's roads, have breathalysed 55% more drivers compared to the same period last year, but have seen 15% fewer people arrested.

Chief Superintendent Colin Taylor said: "The results this week are very encouraging in that we are carrying out more breath tests than last year but have arrested fewer motorists.

"However, one person killed or seriously injured, is one too many and we are working hard to ensure those who chose to act irresponsibly are brought to justice.

"We want people to enjoy the festive season, but please don't let it end in tragedy for you or anyone else."

The intensive patrols will continue into the new year including targeting "morning after" drinkers, the dangers highlighted by a recent case where a man was caught at 10 o'clock in the morning, doing 90mph on the A64 near Bilborough, he was found to be over twice the legal drink-drive limit despite stating he had stopped drinking ten hours earlier.

Police results for 1 December - 27 December

• 2769 Vehicles stopped
• 333 Fixed Penalty Notices for Speeding
• 33 Summonses for speeding
• 8 fast-tracked to court for speeding
• 310 speed warnings
• 73 Fixed Penalty Notices for using a mobile phone while driving
• 2 summons issued for using a mobile phone while driving
• 29 Number plate offences
• 164 Fixed Penalty Notices for Seat-belt offences
• 1 summons for a seat-belt offence
• 11 Fixed Penalty Notices for No Insurance
• 42 Summons for No Insurance
• 54 Vehicles seized