Avon and Somerset Police have arrested 243 people on suspicion of drink or drug driving between 1st and 28th December 2025 as part of their seasonal road safety operation.
The force says the figures underline the continued dangers on local roads, with 427 fatal and serious collisions reported across the area during 2025. Drink or drugs were listed as a factor in 50 of those incidents, accounting for 12 per cent.
Officers attended 32 fatal collisions during the year, and drink or drug driving was a factor in eight of them — a quarter of all fatal crashes.
Inspector Matt Boiles urged motorists not to take risks. He said: “There is no safe way to drink and drive – not at Christmas, not on New Year’s Eve, not any day of the year. Even small amounts of alcohol or drugs can seriously impair your judgement, reaction times, and coordination, putting lives at risk.
“Don’t be tempted to take chances, we will be out there conducting checks and responding to intelligence.”
Focus on the ‘Fatal Five’
Avon and Somerset’s Road Safety and Road Policing teams continue to target road users who pose the greatest risk to others. Their work centres on the offences known as the Fatal Five:
- Excess speed
- Failure to wear a seatbelt
- Driver distraction, including mobile phone use
- Drink and drug driving
- Careless driving
Police say road users who commit any of these offences are significantly more likely to be involved in a fatal or serious collision. Through education and enforcement, the force aims to reduce casualties and encourage safer behaviour on the region’s roads.
Keeping friends safe on a night out
Police are also urging people to look out for one another during the festive and New Year period. Advice includes:
- Offering friends a place to stay if they’ve been drinking
- Taking turns to be the designated driver
- Planning journeys home in advance and checking transport times
- Ensuring phones are fully charged
- Choosing alcohol‑free drinks
- Remembering you may still be over the limit the next morning
- Never getting into a car with a drink driver
- Speaking up if someone intends to drive after drinking
Reporting concerns
Anyone who believes a person is currently driving under the influence of drink or drugs should call 999 immediately.
Suspected drink or drug drivers can also be reported anonymously via the police’s online form or by visiting a police station.
If you’d like, I can also create a shorter bulletin version or add a sidebar-style safety box like the site often uses.
