PSNI alarm at drink and drug driving levels

POLICE have expressed serious concern at the level of drink and drug driving detected locally over the Christmas period, following a number of alarming cases.
In one incident, a woman in Enniskillen was stopped after being reported by members of the public and returned a roadside breath test reading of micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath – more than four times the legal limit.
In separate case, on the same day, a man in Fintona was also reported to police by a concerned member of the public. He later provided a preliminary breath sample of 146, again more than four times the limit.
“Both were arrested at the respective scenes and will now face the consequences of deciding to drive drunk,” said a PSNI spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the local force were also busy in Omagh, where a suspected drunk driver was arrested following a pursuit in a stolen car.
A PSNI spokesperson said officers received a report a vehicle was ‘all over the road’. When the car was located, police established that it had been stolen.
“The driver made off at speed and, following a brief pursuit, the driver and a number of passengers were arrested,” the spokesperson said.
Police said the arrest formed part of a wider pattern of detections over Christmas which highlighted the ongoing dangers posed by impaired drivers.
“There is simply no excuse for driving under the influence of drink or drugs,” the spokesperson added. “Any amount of alcohol impairs reaction time and coordination, increasing the risk of serious collisions.