Middle-aged drivers top arrests in crackdown

A drink and drug-driving crackdown on Merseyside found middle-aged motorists formed the largest group of suspects who had been arrested.

Two hundred of the 619 people detained for suspected offences over the Christmas period were aged between 35 and 44, something Merseyside Police described as "a concern".

The force said cannabis was the most common drug used by motorists, followed by cocaine.

Ch Insp Stuart McIver warned of the "huge impact" of drinking and taking drugs before getting behind the wheel.

"These are family people, they've got careers," he said.

"If you are arrested you could lose your job, lose your career, lose your family, lose your home."

He said the force had also found a significant number of the people who had been arrested drove for a living, which raised an even greater risk "given the amount of time these individuals spend on the road".

A total of 619 people were arrested on Merseyside in December as part of Operation Limit, the annual national campaign which targets people driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

The force said the regional statistics also revealed there was a gender imbalance, with 536 men being arrested.

More than one-in-five of the arrests were for repeat offenders.

"Our two key groups here that we have to address are those who are driving for a living, and those who have offended before," McIver explained.

"These numbers show very clearly that habitual illegal drug use is simply not compatible with driving.

"If someone is going to choose to regularly break the law and take illegal drugs – they cannot also choose to be a driver. 'Feeling fine' is a myth."

Police said the time it takes alcohol and drugs to pass through a person's system can vary and be affected by an individual's metabolism and body mass.

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