Published: December 24, 2008
Police make 19 drink driving arrests in Burnham-On-Sea area

Nineteen people have been arrested for drink driving in the Burnham-On-Sea area as police step up their patrols over the Christmas period.

A total of 146 drivers were arrested up to December 24th in Somerset, and 19 of these were in West Somerset, the district that covers Burnham.

The arrested drivers have provided a positive breath specimen, failed or refused to provide a specimen, or have been driving while unfit through drink or drugs.

Superintendent Andy Pullan, Head of the police's Road Policing Unit, said: "There is no failsafe guide as to how to stay under the legal drink drive limit, or how much you can drink and still drive safely. That is why we urge people not to drink at all if they are driving."

Officers will continue to carry out high visibility road-side checks across known drink drive hotspots throughout the area.

The crackdown on drink driving is part of a nationwide initiative led by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) throughout the month of December.