As the festive season officially begins, West Mercia Police have launched a stark warning and a significant enforcement campaign aimed squarely at drivers who believe they can risk getting behind the wheel after drinking or taking drugs.
The force’s Operation Christmas Presence is underway across Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire throughout December, promising high-visibility patrols and robust testing to prevent what police describe as “devastating consequences” for families across the area.
Alarming Local Figures Revealed
Figures released to coincide with the campaign paint a grim picture of the harm caused on our roads. Over the last three years across the three counties served by West Mercia Police, 13 people have been killed and 132 suffered serious injuries in road incidents where alcohol was a contributory factor. The situation is compounded by drug-driving, which contributed to an additional 24 fatalities and 100 serious injuries.
While the majority of Shropshire’s motorists act responsibly, the police confirm that during December 2024 alone, 186 people were arrested across the three counties for being over the limit. West Mercia Police are determined to reduce that number this Christmas, underscoring their commitment to year-round enforcement of drink and drug drive laws.
Superintendent: “There Really Is No Excuse”
Superintendent Stuart Bill of West Mercia Police expressed understandable frustration at the persistence of the issue.
“The Drink Drive law has been in place for 60 years with the ability for officers to deliver breath tests at the side of the road since the 1980s,” he said. “It’s therefore extremely frustrating that some motorists still drive under the influence of alcohol. With the variety of non-alcoholic options now available, there really is no excuse.”
He emphasised the critical fact that there is “no fool-proof way of calculating how much you can drink and remain under the limit, or knowing how much an individual person can drink and still drive safely.” Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can severely impair driving ability, and enforcement efforts will be relentless, taking place 24/7 across the whole area to protect law-abiding road users.
Catastrophic Consequences and Penalties
The campaign aligns with the Police and Crime Commissioner’s West Mercia Safer Communities Plan, which places the reduction of harm on our roads at its core.
Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion did not mince his words, stating: “There is absolutely no excuse for drinking or taking drugs and then getting behind the wheel. The consequences can be catastrophic – not just for the driver, but for innocent people, families, and entire communities.”
For those caught over the limit, the penalties are immediate and severe: they face up to six months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, and an automatic ban from driving for at least one year. Repeat offenders within a decade face a three-year ban. Beyond these legal consequences, the choice to drink or drug drive irrevocably jeopardises the safety of everyone else on the road, including families heading to or from festive celebrations in towns like Shrewsbury, Ludlow, and Telford.
As part of the wider effort to keep everyone safe this festive season, Operation Christmas Presence will also be raising awareness of domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour across the region.