Eye-opening police drink and drug drive roadshows expand to educate more people

An eye-opening interactive campaign educating people of the risks and life-shattering impact of drink and drug driving is widening its reach across the Nottinghamshire Police force area.

The first of a series of engaging awareness-raising roadshows is taking place today (Friday 29 November) in Trinity Square, Nottingham city centre, from 5pm to 7pm.

Roadshows will also be taking place in Mansfield, West Bridgford, Newark, Worksop, and Retford, with members of the public being invited to take part in some sobriety tests including being challenged to try on a pair of ‘beer googles’ and walk in a straight line, simulating how alcohol or drugs can impair your reactions.

Our friendly officers will also be using non-evidential breath tests at the events, so people can gain first-hand experience of being tested and get an indication of how much alcohol they have in their system.

Following their success last year, our ‘A Deadly Mix’ campaign will also see the return of a limited number of educational sobriety activity packs which will be handed out to those taking part.

These packs include a selection of activities and tasks people can complete with family and friends, raising wider awareness in a bid to make our roads safer.

They include pairs of ‘beer goggles’, simulating how alcohol can affect your reactions and impair your ability to drive, a true and false game, and informative materials for people to read.

Shocking facts and figures will also again be shared with members of the public, aiming to change people’s attitudes towards drink and drug driving and encouraging them to have ‘none for the road.’

Our first roadshow is set to take place today in Trinity Square, Nottingham city centre, from 5pm to 7pm.

We’ll be holding our first Mansfield roadshow on Saturday 7 December, in Market Place, from 5pm to 7pm.

Further events will be held on the following dates, running from 5pm to 7pm.

• Friday 13 December - Worksop
• Saturday 21 December - Newark
• Friday 27 December - West Bridgford 
• Saturday 4 January - Retford

Sergeant James Carrington, of Nottinghamshire Police’s road policing unit, said: “We positively engaged with more than 500 people who attended our interactive ‘A Deadly Mix’ roadshows held last December in Nottingham city centre and Mansfield.

“We received some really positive feedback about our events last year, showing people how seriously we take this issue and really opening their eyes to the dangers and consequences of drink and drug driving through our engagement and educational activities.

“Now, based on analytical data highlighting hotspot locations of fatal and serious injury collisions, where drink or drugs was a contributory factor, we’re expanding the roadshows to cover the city south, in West Bridgford, and in the northern and rural areas of Newark, Worksop, and Retford.

“As well as holding engagement activities in all six of our roadshow locations, our road policing officers will be actively patrolling in collision hotspot areas and carrying out roadside tests with every person they engage with. Every driver involved in a road traffic collision will also be breath tested.

“In support of our campaign to cut the number of people killed or seriously injured due to drink or drug driving in Nottingham, we are also working closely with partners, including pubs and licensing teams in the city and county, to help spread our message and educate road users.

“Our message to those who choose to drive whilst impaired through drink or drugs is this: you are not only risking your own life and future, but also the lives of innocent people. Is it really worth it?”

Our ‘A Deadly Mix’ campaign, which is being supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner of Nottinghamshire and the Nottinghamshire Safety Camera Partnership, is being run in conjunction with the national Operation Limit drink and drug drive campaign which runs until 1 January.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden has made a commitment to prioritising road safety by targeting speeding and reckless driving, implementing zero-tolerance policies on drink and drug driving, and working tirelessly to reduce car fatalities.

He said: “Drink and drug-driving can have devastating impacts on people’s lives, so I want to be clear that there is no place for it on Nottinghamshire’s roads.

“Through a mix of targeted road safety operations, Nottinghamshire Police’s officers work all-year round with partners and the community to keep our roads safe.

“These roadshows are a great way to engage with the public, prevent crime by opening people’s eyes to the dangers, and also to provide reassurance to the public that police are taking this issue really seriously and doing all they can to tackle it.”

As a force, our work is ongoing all year round to tackle drink and drug driving. We will continue to target drivers who put themselves and others at risk in this way as well as engaging with our communities and continuing with our preventative work.

Our roads policing unit, response, and neighbourhood teams, will continue to patrol our roads in the run-up to Christmas and throughout the festive period to keep people safe and catch any drink and drug drivers who selfishly choose to put their own lives and other people’s lives at risk.

Anyone with information about suspected drink or drug driving should contact Nottinghamshire Police, by calling 101.

In case of an emergency, or if you believe a crime is in progress, always dial 999.

Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org.