Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen is backing a national charity’s efforts to increase reporting of drink or drug driving to save lives.
The County Durham and Darlington PCC, who is Joint Portfolio Lead for Roads Policing on behalf of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), is calling on residents to share information on people they suspect of getting behind the wheel with drink or drugs to prevent more unnecessary injuries and deaths.
She has offered her full support to a new Crimestoppers campaign raising awareness of the dangers of drink and drug driving and to encourage anyone with information on a repeat or suspected offender to speak up.
In 2023, Crimestoppers received more than 45,000 reports about people regularly driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs – almost 20% higher than the previous year.
The charity receives an average of 120 reports of information every day.
The PCC is at the forefront of road safety nationally and has set out several key priorities in her new Police, Crime and Justice Plan to make Durham’s roads safer and to address the fatal four causes of accidents (drink/drug driving, mobile phones, no seat belts and speeding).
Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “We have seen first-hand in Durham the heartbreaking consequences of drink and drug driving.
“A worrying number of people are still recklessly getting behind the wheel while unfit to drive through drink or drugs as evidenced in our ongoing patrols.
“The only way to truly protect road users from dangerous and reckless drivers is to take them off the roads as soon as they commit any wrongdoing. This will undoubtedly save lives.
“People should be aware that illegal drugs can stay in their system for a long time, days and weeks in some cases, rendering them unfit to drive. This puts their own and other people’s lives at risk, as well as in many cases putting their job on the line, particularly if it involves driving or commuting.
“While I am funding additional enforcement on our roads to identify drink and drug drivers, we also need the public’s help.
“If you are concerned that a colleague, neighbour, friend or even family member is regularly putting lives at risk, please call the police or Crimestoppers anonymously to report your concerns – what you tell us could spare a family from unbearable future pain.
“It’s down to all of us to keep our roads safe – staying silent increases the risks for us all and should not be an option.”
The PCC is campaigning nationally for tougher measures to deter drug driving including the immediate suspension of driving licences for those arrested and charged with drink and drug driving offences until attendance at court and the introduction of new powers to seize the vehicles of those arrested for drink and drug driving.
She is also campaigning for the wider roll out of workforce drug and alcohol testing, particularly in the transport and haulage industry.
Cannabis can stay in the system for weeks and cocaine for days, meaning a person will be unfit to drive for longer and will put their lives, and others at risk.
In other work, she is also urging the Government to introduce mandatory National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme courses for all those found guilty of dangerous driving offences and campaigning for a change in legislation to secure full cost recovery of those testing positive for drink or drugs.
Anyone with information on a drink or drug driver can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.