By Jonathan BarnesSUFFOLK police have reported “encouraging” results from their anti-drink-driving campaign over the Christmas and New Year period.But they insisted the 49 motorists caught over the legal drink-drive in the 15-day crackdown was still too many.

By Jonathan Barnes

SUFFOLK police have reported “encouraging” results from their anti-drink-driving campaign over the Christmas and New Year period.

But they insisted the 49 motorists caught over the legal drink-drive in the 15-day crackdown was still too many.

The figures showed a sharp drop in the number of drivers testing positive for drink-driving, but police said they would not be complacent about the problem and would continue to target offenders all year round.

Suffolk police conducted 965 breath tests across the county between 6am on December 18 and 6am on Sunday, of which 49 were positive.

That represented 5.1% of the total - compared to 8.5% in the same period a year ago, when 1,043 tests were carried out and 89 were positive.

Chief Inspector Alan Pawsey, of Suffolk police, said: “While it is encouraging that fewer drivers seem to be willing to risk drink-driving this year, we will not be complacent in Suffolk.

“We are committed to making the county's roads safer for everyone. Suffolk police run a drink-drive campaign 365 days a year and we will continue to target those who put others' lives at risk by consuming drink or drugs before taking control of a vehicle.”

Police said 71 motorists were asked to provide a breath sample at the scene of a collision involving an injury and six had given positive tests, with one further person refusing to give a sample.

They added 117 people had given a sample at the scene of a non-injury collision and 11 had tested positive.

The majority of motorists (777) were stopped either because they had committed traffic offences, because police suspected them of drink-driving from the manner of their driving or because of tip-offs from members of the public. Of those, 32 gave positive breath tests.

jonathan.barnes@eadt.co.uk