Drink-driver road bans help roads police team inspector sleep well
Inspector Chris Hinitt from the Roads and Armed Policing Team Picture: SUFFOLK CONSTABULARY - Credit: Archant
Police have admitted how much they relish catching drink-drivers after the latest batch of offenders were hauled into court.
Five young men were among the most recent drink-drivers to be banned by magistrates in Ipswich.
Although all were under 25, life experience counts for nothing in drink-driving cases, according to the Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team.
A crackdown last summer showed under-25s were more likely to test positive for drugs at the side of the road, while older motorists made up a higher proportion of drink-drivers.
Inspector Chris Hinitt said the larger number of older road users meant trends were difficult to establish, but said: “When you’re younger, you have less to lose
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“We would hope that people get wiser as they get older, but we’re still staggered that people do it.
“You’ve got to have lived on Mars to not know the law. It’s no excuse to be ‘just over the limit’.
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“No one mistakenly drinks too much. They know exactly what they’re doing. My advice is don’t drink at all before driving.
“These young men will now wear the badge of a drink-driver.
“The consequences are high. Most jobs require them to travel and it will have an impact on their insurance premium in the future.
“If they were to hit someone while drunk, they’d go to jail.
“The Road Traffic Act allows us to stop any vehicle for any reason.
“If we have reason to suspect a driver has been drinking or taking drugs, they can be tested.
“Police officers absolutely love catching drink-drivers. It makes me sleep well, knowing they’re off the road, because if they weren’t, we’d have to respond to what may happen an hour later.”
Luke Smith, 21, of Hawthorn Drive, Horringer, was banned for 17 months after riding a moped with 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.
Ryan Steward, 21, of Hawthorne Way, Stradishall, was banned for 26 months after riding a moped with 94mcg in breath and refusing a blood test for drugs.
Benjamin Pratt, 21, of Jackson Way, Needham Market, was fined £600, banned for 16 months and given six points for driving with 57mcg in breath and no insurance.
Jake Good, 24, of Ravenswood Avenue, Ipswich, was fined £460 and banned for 12 months for driving with 46mcg in breath.
Sam Smith, 24, of Raydon Way, Great Cornard, was fined £345 and banned for 14 months for driving with 55mcg in breath.
