AS POLICE launch this year’s Christmas anti-drink driving campaign provisional figures for the year so far reveal 128 arrests have been made for suspected drink-driving since last January across Fermanagh.
Provisional figures also show the total number of arrests for drink-driving related offences for F-District (Fermanagh, Omagh, Cookstown and Dungannon/South Tyrone) stands at 347.
The figures reveal that this year PSNI officers detected over 500 road traffic offences on the roads of Fermanagh including speeding, careless driving and suspected drinking and driving.
The number of speeding detections by police on Fermanagh roads for the first 10 months of the year was 297.
However the number of detections for speeding by NI Road Safety Partnership (fixed speed camera vans) for the Fermanagh policing area from January to October was 1,130.
All these figures are provisional and cover the period from January 1 to October 31, 2013.
As the festive season approaches police are warning the public they will be out in force on the roads to detect those who flout the law.
‘One death on our roads is too many’, is the message police want to get out as we move deeper into winter, with more of us driving in the hours of darkness.
Seven people have lost their lives on Fermanagh’s roads this year to date and as part of continuing efforts to address the issue of road safety police are once again, police are urging motorists to reduce their speed, don’t drive while under the influence of drink or drugs, wear a seatbelt and drive with due care and attention.
Area Commander, Chief Inspector Sue Ann Steen explains: “Our aim is to save lives and reduce injuries. While we welcome the fact that the vast majority of right thinking people realise that drink driving, speeding and inconsiderate driving is unacceptable, clearly there is still an irresponsible minority who ignore all advice and warnings.
“We want to get the message out to drivers that they need to take more care on the roads if everyone is to reach their destination, and return home safely.
“No one is indestructible. Everyone is vulnerable whether they are travelling in a car, on a motorcycle or on foot, and the sooner people realise this, the sooner people will start to drive in a more responsible manner.
“Our message to drivers and riders is very simple. If you speed, take drink or drugs and drive, fail to wear your seatbelt, drive carelessly or dangerously, you run the real risk of killing or seriously injuring yourself, your passengers or some other innocent road user.
“We will enforce the law and are determined to make Fermanagh’s roads safer, but our role is very much secondary. All road users have a role to play in preventing deaths and injuries on our roads. All we ask is that drivers slow down, do not drive after drinking or taking drugs, wear a seatbelt and drive with greater care and attention,” she concluded.
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