No mercy for drivers under the influence

Officers will be carrying out road-side checks across the county throughout December.

As well as breathalysers, they will use saliva testing kits to check for cannabis and cocaine for the first time. It follows new drug-driving legislation introduced in March.

Insp Andy Trotter said the consequences of driving under the influence can be ‘devastating’.

He added: “We will also be focusing our activity on late night revellers who may still be over the limit the morning after and we are particularly keen to get the message across young drivers.”

Officers administered 5,012 road-side breath tests during last year’s month-long campaign. The failure rate was 3.1 per cent, with 153 fails and four people who refused to cooperate.