Officers from across Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary made more than 280 arrests as part of Operation Holly – the annual Christmas drink and drug driving crackdown.
Between 1st December to 31st December 2022, officers from the Joint Operations Unit carried out targeted patrol activity in order to stop drivers and carry out drink and drug roadside testing.
A total of 286 arrests were made across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with a further 451 in the Thames Valley.
In December 2021 there were a total of 639 arrests made as part of Operation Holly, with 276 across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight alone. Of the arrests made during the most recent campaign, 153 were for drink driving and 133 were for drug driving.
Chief Inspector Chris Spellerberg, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said:
“While I am pleased this year’s campaign has been a success with so many arrests, there are still too many people continuing to get behind the wheel despite being under the influence.
“Anyone who drives after drinking or taking drugs is putting the lives of innocent people at risk. All too often drink or drug driving leads to devastating collisions where people are killed or seriously injured.
“Even the smallest amount of alcohol or drugs can impair your ability to drive and we hope the message of this campaign gets through. It is never acceptable to drink or drug drive. It’s not worth the risk.”
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How many on the Island ? That is what people here will want to know
Yes those figures must be available. Was there any roadside checks this year? ,Didn’t see any
The trouble with policen the Island roads is the high numbers of elderly drivers that live here. It is hard to spot a drink driver because of so many vehicles weaving and straying from one side of the road to the other.
So drink drivers seem to blend in, it has been like this for decades.
If that was in reply to my comments, you are well named.
batty boy what a prat you are
One has got to weave on a lot of Island roads to avoid the potholes, doesn’t one?
Your name should be battyman or perhaps bloodclart
I was going to make that exact point, Babs. The headline in our local paper (note the ‘local’) was misleading. One assumes The Echo asked the question about the IOW figures, and they surely must be available as computers are quite good at identifying where stops and tests and arrests were made. Very curious…and not a little bit disturbing.
So 10 more than last year for Hampshire and iow. Not something I would deem as a success. Clearly the message still isn’t getting through to so many
You can’t educate stupid!
On the Wight did state over a year ago there is a drink problem on the Island.
And 0 police response to a hit and run car crash great work
I think the real point here is this, 280 were caught, that means a lot of others got away with it!
Well done to the Police for those caught, utter disgrace that people find it acceptable to DRINK & DRIVE, if the message is getting through, there are many who still persist to DRINK & DRIVE and KILL.
A very long ban and loss of car would be a good start in the way of educating those who choose to potentially kill and destroy lives and make those NOT caught aware it could be YOU next who looses a lot, or takes a life.
Well, I used to drink and drive and it never done me no harm.
You really are a pointless waste. You are very sad and I pity you. If that was an attempt at humour you failed. If you actually meant it you really do need medical help.
jeeez, chill out KEVIN, I bet you still live at home with your uncle.
No wonder you can’t get a girlfriend.
Why get personal ?
Ting is only having an opion.
STILL A FREE COUNTRY AND FREE SPEECH ( just ).
Makes a nice change from all the suck ups on here who just feel the need to state the obvious on every single occasion.
Nothing but boring people looking out for spelling mistakes and continuously slaging off people who are unfortunately on benifits. IMO x
Smoke weed every day
Acceptable levels for both drink and drugs is ZERO. No excuses permitted. Get caught for anymore than ZERO, lifetime ban, 10 years behind bars with heavy labour. There is absolutely no excuse for drink and / or drug driving. Premeditated murder!
Not in any way condoning drink or drunk driving..
but unfortunately your comment does rather show your level of ignorance
If you drive, they by your own rules you would almost certainly have already been guilty.
A lot of common medicines and the like, as well as many or most 0% ‘alcoholic’ drinks , have enough alcohol to take you above ZERO!
HAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh wait, you’re serious, let me laugh even harder
That’s a bit OTT innit !
Don’t drink and drive becouse you will spill it.
Stupid. STUPID……. Driving after having way too many drinks to legally drive or after taking drugs seems to be the norm for many nowadays. When will people understand it’s just plain dumb. You really can’t educate stupid people!
280 arrests… were they all in Hampshire… This is the problem from letting Isle of Wight join Hampshire… was and always will be a stupid thing to have done, until we get a tunnel…