TWELVE drivers were arrested on suspicion of drink or drug driving across one weekend in July, Gwent Police have revealed.

Officers will be stopping more vehicles on the roads over the next two weeks as part of a nationwide crackdown on driving under the influence.

During the two-week campaign, officers from the force’s roads policing and specialist operations (RPSO), rural crime, and neighbourhood policing teams will patrol Gwent’s roads, carry out vehicle and driver checks, and deliver a number of educational messages centred around improving road safety.

More than 1,000 people were arrested on suspicion of motoring offences involving driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs between August 1 last year and July 31, 2022.

Over that same period, officers attended 19 fatal crashes in Gwent.

Superintendent Mike Richards said: “While most motorists drive within the law, some selfishly put motorists and pedestrians at risk by driving after drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

“During one recent weekend in July, for example, officers arrested 12 people on suspicion of driving under the influence of drink or drugs. This highlights that far too many still take the risk.

“It's completely unacceptable. Our officers have had to respond to 19 fatal road traffic collisions over the last 12 months, and, consequently, had to visit parents, siblings and friends to tell them the awful news that their loved ones had died.

“Throughout this campaign, and year-round, our roads policing officers, family liaison officers and more are joining emergency service partners in reiterating one simple message: ‘Do not risk your life and the lives of others by driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs’.

“It’s one of the biggest causes of death on our roads and these campaigns are important in making our roads safer and raising awareness around the consequences of driving under the influence.

"Nobody wants to be the cause of a major collision, let alone be the reason a family is told by one of our officers that they've lost a loved one.”

The legal alcohol limit in England and Wales for driving is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (or 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath), while it's also illegal to drive with any of 17 controlled drugs above a specified level in your blood.

Officers are joining Welsh forces and GoSafe to raise awareness around the dangers of driving under the influence, and are targeting those who put others at risk by committing one of the ‘Fatal Five’ – drink and drug driving, speeding, distracted driving, driving while not wearing a seatbelt, or using a mobile phone at the wheel.

Anybody who has concerns about someone they believe to be driving under the influence are asked to contact police on 101 (or 999 if they are posing an imminent danger), or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.