Police patrols using marked and unmarked cars and motorcycles, special high profile road checks and an advertising campaign are all driving home a “None for the Road” message in East Cheshire this month. 

Every driver who commits a traffic offence or who is involved in a collision during the run-up to Christmas is being breath-tested, whatever the time of day.

Police Officers are also stopping and testing any drivers who they believe may have been drinking. Specially trained officers are conducting Field Impairment Tests on people they suspect are driving under the influence of drugs.

P.C. Paul Burke, from the Roads Policing Unit of Cheshire Police Eastern Area said, “We and our partner agencies are simply aiming to reduce the number of casualties on the roads. We want to prevent people facing a devastating Christmas because of the death or serious injury of someone in the family.”

“Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive. There is no foolproof way of drinking and staying under the limit, or of knowing how much you can drink and still drive safely. The message is clear - it’s ‘None for the Road’.

P.C. Paul Burke explained “You also need to remember that alcohol stays in your body for some time. People get up after a night’s drinking and think they are fine. In fact they could still be over the legal limit and are unfit to get behind the wheel. Every year a substantial number of people give positive ‘morning after’ tests and Police Officers are carrying out morning road checks in your neighbourhood.”

The police enforcement checks have been funded by Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership and are part of a co-ordinated response by Safer Cheshire East Partnership.