Winter drink drive operation launched

‘Not even one – because just one drink can kill’, is the key message from local police at last Thursday’s launch of the winter drink drive operation.

Chief Superintendent Brian Kee revealed that the PSNI detected 25 people who were over the limite across the Ballymena, Coleraine, Larne, Moyle and Ballymoney areas last Christmas.

He said: “It is shocking to consider that 25 people took the risk of killing or injuring themselves, their family, friends and other innocent road users by deciding to drive after drinking.

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“If you find yourself asking the question, ‘I wonder if I’m ok to drive?’ Or if you find yourself trying to calculate if you are under the drink drive limit, whether that’s after one drink, or the morning after a night out, just don’t take the risk. The consequences could be catastrophic.

People don’t accidentally have a beer or glass of wine, they make a conscious decision. It only takes one drink to impair your decision making ability. The only right decision is to leave the car or motorbike at home if you’re drinking.

“I want all motorists to think about the consequences to yourself and your family of being involved in a serious collision. How would you feel if your actions resulted in you or one of your family being paralysed? How would you feel if some innocent person was killed?.”

Chief Superintendent Kee continued: “I do not want officers knocking on doors at any time of the year, but especially over Christmas and the New Year, to tell families that a loved one has been killed on the roads.

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“If everyone slowed down, did not drive after drinking or taking drugs, wore a seatbelt and drove with greater care and attention then together we can reduce this preventable carnage on our roads.”

The winter drink drive operation will last until the new year and involve road safe operations across Ballymena, Coleraine, Larne, Moyle and Ballymoney.