'They will face the consequences of their actions' - arrests for drink and drug-driving in Derbyshire increase massively

The number of motorists arrested for drink and drug-driving in Derbyshire has increased in the last three years, we can reveal.
Arrests have increased for drug and drink-driving in Derbyshire.Arrests have increased for drug and drink-driving in Derbyshire.
Arrests have increased for drug and drink-driving in Derbyshire.

Our Freedom of Information request to Derbyshire police has revealed drink-drive arrests have more than doubled from 350 in 2016 to 803 in 2018.

And for drug-driving, arrests have increased massively from 36 in 2016 to 188 last year.

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Inspector Dave Neate, who leads Derbyshire police's roads policing unit, said: “Keeping our roads as safe as we can is our absolute priority and we do everything we can all year round to achieve that.

Arrests have increased for drug and drink-driving in Derbyshire.Arrests have increased for drug and drink-driving in Derbyshire.
Arrests have increased for drug and drink-driving in Derbyshire.

“Part of our efforts includes increasing road patrols at certain times of the year, with a focus on those who get behind the wheel while under the influence of drink or drugs.

“In recent years, we have also invested in new equipment that allows our officers to test for the presence of drugs in people’s saliva while at the roadside. That is one reason why the figures for drug-drive arrests have risen in the last couple of years.

“The bottom line is that driving under the influence of drink or drugs is exceptionally dangerous and puts the lives of drivers, passengers, other road users and pedestrians at serious risk of injury or even death.

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“We are out there looking for such drivers, we will arrest them when we find them, and they will face the consequences of their actions.”

Drink-drive arrests:

2016 - 350

2017 - 750

2018 - 803

2019 (just January) - 53

Drug-driving arrests:

2016 - 36

2017 - 107

2018 - 188

2019 (just January) - 32

Penalties for drug-driving

If you are convicted of drug driving you’ll get:

- A minimum 1 year driving ban

- An unlimited fine

- Up to 6 months in prison

- A criminal record

Your driving licence will also show you have been convicted for drug driving. This will last for 11 years.

Penalties for drink-driving

You may get:

- Six months’ imprisonment

- An unlimited fine

- A driving ban for at least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years)