Positive start for force's expanded drink and drug drive roadshows

Members of the public were given a shocking insight into the dangers of drink and drug driving during the first of an expanded series of interactive police roadshows.

There was a strong turnout for our first awareness-raising event, held in Nottingham city centre, with fifty educational sobriety activity packs handed out to people who our officers and police community support officers engaged with.

These packs include a selection of activities and tasks people can take part in 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.

Non-evidential breath tests were also taken by members of the public we interacted with, including many who were surprised to learn just how much more likely they would be statistically to cause a collision with just a small amount of alcohol in their system.

These eye-opening facts and figures were also shared in support of the new ‘Drink a little, Risk a lot’ winter campaign from the national initiative Think!

PCSO Solomon Clark, one of the driving forces behind our campaign, said: “Our first event, held in Trinity Square on Friday, went really well and we got a lot of positive feedback and encouragement from members of the public we engaged with. 

“We spoke to people of all ages, including families, teenagers, students and those who were on a night out.

"They were really appreciative of what we were doing to help prevent and reduce drink and drug driving and they really liked our sobriety packs too. 

“We all have a part to play in reducing the number of people risking their lives and the lives of others on our roads.

"We’re urging people to take a second and think twice before getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or drugs. 

“That one decision can have a devastating impact on families and the consequences can last a lifetime.”

Last Friday’s successful event (29 November), aiming to change people’s attitudes and open their eyes to the dangers and devastating consequences of drink and drug driving, was supported by the force’s roads policing unit and the city licensing team.

Short surveys were also filled in by members of the public to gauge their opinions and feedback on our event.

For our campaign this year, we have extended our number of roadshows to reach a number of towns in the force area –with prominent locations chosen following analysis of fatal and serious injury collision data where drink or drugs was a contributory factor.

Our next roadshow is set to be held in Market Place, Mansfield, tomorrow (Saturday 7 December), 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

Alongside our educational engagement activity in collision hotspot areas, our roads policing officers as well as other force units will continue to proactively patrol our roads in the run-up to Christmas and over the festive period to keep people safe and take robust action against drink and drug drivers.

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 also being run in conjunction with the national Operation Limit drink and drug drive campaign which runs until 1 January.

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