PSNI arrest 71 in drink-drive blitz

Ten times more suspected drink-drivers were arrested in a weekend road policing blitz across Northern Ireland than last year’s daily average, it was disclosed today.

In a major operation lasting under 24 hours a startling 71 people were accused of being over the legal limit.

Arrests for drink-driving ran at seven a day 12 months ago.

The huge crackdown came when police mounted two separate eight-hour campaigns throughout the province in a bid to cut a spiralling death toll on the roads.

Up to last night, 27 people had been killed in traffic accidents in Northern Ireland this year, compared with 16 for the same period last year.

Duncan McCausland, the assistant chief constable who headed up the operation, said it was time drivers took more notice of the dangers.

He declared: “By enforcing traffic law we are educating road users that it is their personal responsibility to help keep the roads safe.

“We are playing our part in the issue of enforcement and this operation is a demonstration of our continued commitment.”

Extra officers were drafted in to support the road policing unit in their drive to help save lives and cut down on injuries by identifying the culprits.

In the first operation staged on Friday night, police made 37 arrests for drink-driving related offences.

Two people were also stopped for taking and driving away and one person was arrested on suspicion of drug offences.

On Saturday another 34 drink-driving arrests were made and one for drugs.

Police patrols had been ordered to monitor all roads closely, especially notorious accident black-spots.

Checks were also made on the tyres and seat-belts of vehicles stopped.

Mr McCausland warned all motorists to pay heed to the shock statistics.

“Last year an average of seven people per day were caught drink-driving and 138 were caught speeding,” he said.

“Speed is the single biggest killer on our roads. People need to take notice of these figures or they themselves could become another statistic as a result of a serious road collision.”

The police chief claimed the traffic operation would boost road safety and help prevent further traffic accidents.

He added: “A recent high level of deaths on our roads reinforces the importance of keeping road safety and enforcement a priority for police and at the forefront of all of our minds.”