Police drink driving campaign: Compilation video of motorists' reactions to being pulled over while under the influence

A compilation of video clips showing motorists being pulled over and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence have been released by a police force as part of their Christmas drink driving campaign. Northamptonshire Police were confronted by one driver saying they were 'avoiding potholes' and another who tested positive for cocaine, while one had been pulled after driving at 70mph through a busy town centre road with a 30mph limit. In the body-cam footage captured by officers, a drink-driver is caught on film slurring his excuse to officers who stopped him after other road users raised the alarm about his erratic driving. He asks police: "How has this come about?"

An officer replies: "We've had a phone call in relation to the manner of your driving, I've then witnessed your driving being that lower than what I believe someone who's currently not drink driving to be." The driver then interrupts and says: “I was trying to stop driving over bloody potholes.”

Another man was caught driving at 70mph on a busy road while another drink-driver was caught with open beer cans in the car. In one clip, an officer had to repeatedly knock on the window of a Transit van after the driver was so inebriated he had passed out at the wheel. He admitted “drinking too much” which officers verified when his breath test revealed he had 103mcg per 100ml of breath – almost three times the legal limit which is 35mcg.

Another video shows a driver stopping his car on the zig-zag lines of a motorway slip road after being instructed to follow officers to a safer road. The bemused officer says: “Why have you stopped there? Don’t stop on the motorway.”

During another stop of a suspected drug driver, a cop tells the motorist: “Your car stinks of weed, have you got some in there?” The driver replies: “I might have a little bit mate to be honest, I don’t know.”

Meanwhile another suspected drink-driver repeatedly asks an officer if he will be arrested. Finally, the exasperated cop tells him: “I suspect you probably will get arrested for drink driving because you’ve asked me that about four times.”

The driver replies: “Yeah I probably am, am I going to nicked for that?” The officer says: “Yeah probably. I think so.”

Another video shows an officer taking a swab of a driver’s tongue which reveals he had taken cocaine. Another man, who was a passenger in the car, then tells cops: “[He failed] on what cocaine? That’s alright, that’s nothing mate.”

During another stop, an officer is audibly shocked at the recklessness of a drunk driver. He is heard saying: “They’ve got child seats in the back for God’s sake.”

Another driver was also caught hurtling 70mph down a road in a 30mph zone while over the limit.

Drivers who cause a death while driving under the influence of drink or drugs face up to 14 years’ in prison. Last year Northamptonshire Police arrested a total of 995 people on suspicion of drink driving. Between January and September of this year, a further 707 road users were been caught drink driving.

Figures show incidents of drink driving are rising year on year. During last year’s winter campaign, 99 motorists were charged with drink driving and 18 arrested for failing a roadside drug test. This compared to 83 and 13 respectively for the same period in 2021.

Inspector Ian Wills, of Northamptonshire Police Roads Policing Team, said: “Even the slightest amount of alcohol or drugs in your system can affect the way you drive, increasing the risk of serious harm to yourself and other road users. It’s not possible to say how much alcohol you can drink and stay below the limit as the way alcohol affects you depends on various factors, and the risks of getting behind the wheel, not just on the night when you have been drinking, but also the morning after, could be fatal.”

During this month extra patrols will be held across the county along with proactive operations and roadside checks.