Shropshire drink-drive figures already top 200

More than 200 motorists have have been caught drink-driving in Shropshire over the last eight months, new figures show.

The figures also revealed a total of 420 drink-drive offences were also recorded last year, with 155 in Telford and 106 in Shrewsbury.

There have been 231 drink drive offences in the county this year so far, with 76 in Shrewsbury and 71 in Telford.

The information came from an Freedom of Information request to West Mercia Police.

Since the start of 2010, there have been 3,420 drink drive offences across Shropshire.

The highest alcohol reading in a breath test since 2010 in the county was taken last year in, when the driver was more than five times the legal limit at 187 microgrammes in 100 millilitres of breath.

In 2014, one driver’s blood test in Shifnal showed that he had 400 milligrammes in 100 millilitres of blood in Shifnal – way over the limit of 80.

Victoria Bristow of Safer Roads Partnership, for West Mercia Police, said: “Over the past three years, 122 people have been killed or seriously injured in West Mercia as a result of collisions involving drink or drugs.

“It’s important to put these figures into context and we can’t compare the figure we see from very small communities with large urban areas, such as Telford and Shrewsbury, where we have a larger concentration of population and a large number of licensed premises. The figure for these areas is reflective of that concentration.

“It’s also important to remember that the majority of motorists using our roads do so responsibly, the recent summer drink-drive campaign showed that eight per cent of the total number breathalysed tested positive within our region – this is below the national average figure and is testament to the work that we undertake with campaigns, education and enforcement.

“Although our figures are encouraging, there are still irresponsible drivers out there who think they can risk drinking and driving, ignoring the devastating consequences that this can cause for them, their family, friends and other road users. Enforcing the drink-drive law is a year round commitment for West Mercia Police and will continue to form an important part of our roads policing strategy.”

In April, a passenger died after a crash near Albrighton when the driver had been drinking.

A court heard last week that Mareks Skorobogatovs, 23, was “substantially impaired” due to drink when he crashed his car near Boningale, near Albrighton, killing Lithuanian-born Miss Piktuizyte, who was the front-seat passenger. He was said to have been trying to show off to his 26-year-old passenger.

Skorobogatovs, of Bishopsdale, Brookside, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing Miss Piktuizyte’s death by careless driving and failing to allow a blood specimen test and a charge of causing death by driving when unlicensed and uninsured. The Latvian national, who suffered chest injuries in the accident, was jailed for six years for causing Miss Piktuizyte’s death. He was also given a six-year driving disqualification and will be banned for at least three years following his release from prison and must take an extended UK driving test.

The immediate consequences for anyone if they are caught drink driving include a minimum 12 month driving ban, up to six months in prison, a fine of up to £5,000 and a criminal record.

A conviction for drink driving can have a major impact on the future prospects of a young person. For example, it may lead to job loss, significant problems when applying for a job in the future and difficulty travelling abroad.