Dorset Police will launch its annual Christmas drink and drug drive campaign, running from 1 December 2018 to 1 January 2019, with an event in the aptly named Brewery Square in Dorchester.
There is nothing ironic or humorous about the force's message to anyone driving this Christmas or at any other time of the year – don't risk it if you've had even one drink or have taken drugs.
Officers of the Alliance Roads Policing and No Excuse teams will request breath tests from all drivers involved in collisions, irrespective of whether or not they suspect a drink driving offence. Drivers can expect to be tested if stopped for an offence.
Drugwipe sample kits will be used at the roadside on drivers suspected of being unfit to drive through drugs, and provide an instant result.
Inspector Joe Pardey, head of the Alliance Roads Policing team in Dorset, said, "Alcohol and drugs impair many of the functions necessary for safe driving; reaction times and spatial awareness are affected significantly. This may still be the case the morning after, depending on how much alcohol you consumed the night before and when you stopped drinking.
"If police think you are unfit to drive through consumption of alcohol, even if your breath test registers lower than the prescribed limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath you can still be arrested and may be charged with an offence. In short, you do not have to be drunk to be a drink driver. Don't risk it.
Dorset's Police and Crime commissioner Martyn Underhill reinforced the police message, "I want to make sure everyone enjoys Christmas this year and remembers it for the right reasons.
"Unbelievably, there are still people out there who think it's acceptable to drink and drive. This isn't OK at any time of the year but in the run up to Christmas our campaign across Dorset will find people who are risking their lives and those of other road users by driving while impaired through drink or drugs.
Representatives of all emergency services will be at Brewery Square on Dorchester from 10am to 3pm along with KwikFit to advise on tyre safety. Members of the public will be able to talk to police officers and other emergency staff and take away road safety merchandise including a limited amount of single use breathalysers which provide a useful advisory only guide as to just how easy it is to have too much alcohol in your system to be safe to drive.