More than 40 arrests and 650 roadside tests during ongoing drink and drug driving operation

We have arrested more than 40 people and carried out more than 650 roadside drug and drink driving tests as part of ongoing efforts to target illegal drivers in Staffordshire.

On 1 December, we launched a month-long intensification effort called Operation Limit.

Forces across the UK have been carrying out the enforcement since 2022 following statistics that revealed 467 collisions were caused by drink or drug driving in December that year. A total of 422 collisions were caused by drink or driving the following year (2023).

So far, officers from our road crime team (RCT) have been busy carrying out enforcement in the county:

• A total of 667 roadside drink and drug driving tests have been carried out
• 21 of these people were arrested for providing a positive roadside breath test
• 22 people have been arrested on suspicion of drug driving offences
• Two people have been arrested for failing to provide
• One person was arrested for failing a roadside impairment test

Since the RCT launched on 1 October, they have worked proactively to arrest more than 125 people suspected of driving offences, seized more than 270 vehicles and seized £1.1million-worth of criminal assets.

Today (Friday 13 December), the team are out in the Lichfield area carrying out vehicle stops and working proactively to make the roads safer.

Inspector Chris Moss, from the RCT, said: “Drink and drug driving is one of the four main factors of serious injury and fatal collisions. We want to make it clear that those who think they can get behind the wheel under the influence will be targeted robustly in Staffordshire.”

Read more about Op Limit here: Road crime team intensifying efforts to stop drink and drug drivers in crackdown operation | Staffordshire Police