POLICE will be cracking down on drink-drivers over Christmas with increased stop checks island-wide. Extra resources have been allocated to enforce the random checks, which will be conducted in different locations around the island and at any time of the day.
‘We are taking a tough stance again this year so people really need to think twice before drinking and driving,’ said Ruari Hardy, chief inspector of operations at Guernsey Police.
He said this year’s advertising campaign, which includes a billboard at the Weighbridge roundabout, helped to continue raising awareness of the heavy price people can pay for drinking and driving.
‘But we want everyone to be aware that it is being backed up by a significant presence of officers across Guernsey carrying out random stop checks.’
It is an offence not to give a breath sample unless physically unable. Drivers can be exempted only if they have a medical condition that prevents or significantly hinders their ability to blow into a breathalyser and, in that instance, a blood test is taken at the police station.
The breath limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml sample, but, according to PC Martin Todd, it is difficult to know what that equates to in terms of how many drinks it is safe to consume. ‘It varies from person to person and how fast they can metabolise the alcohol. The only safe option is not to drink at all.’
The annual drink-drive campaign is organised by Guernsey Police and Drug and Alcohol Strategy.
It is aimed at both persuading people not to drink and drive and getting the wider community to take responsibility and report such activity to the police.
It was launched on Tuesday.
Crime prevention officer Bernie English said the direct tactics of the annual campaigns had seemed to get good feedback in the past.
‘I think the campaigns are effective.
‘You’ve got to be quite straight-talking to get the message across and try to educate people and I think this year’s will achieve that.’
Sure Mobile and Wave Telecom have also got on board the campaign and will be sending all their customers anti-drink-drive text messages every Friday throughout December and on New Year’s Eve.
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