The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Drink and drug drivers will be named and shamed online as part of the new Lincolnshire Police drink and drug driving campaign.
Lincolnshire Police will update the force website and social media daily with the names of people charged with either offence. A police spokesman said it was hoped the move would make people think twice before getting behind the wheel.
The new Think Don’t Drink campaign starts on Monday and runs into the New Year.
Lincolnshire Police made more than 1,000 arrests for drink driving in the last 12 months, and over 150 arrests for driving under the influence of drugs. Nearly 70 per cent of those people were charged and a recent study found that the force charges more offenders than anywhere else in the UK.
Inspector Ewan Gell from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Drink-driving is still a problem in Lincolnshire but we are very good at catching offenders. I sincerely hope we don’t have to name a single person over these two weeks.”
John Siddle from the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership welcomes the campaign tactic. He said: “Drink drivers cannot turn back the clock however, almost all those arrested wish they could. They stand to lose so much when they make that decision to get behind the wheel – their livelihood, life, other people’s lives and possibly their liberty if they are sent to prison.
“The knock-on effects of that will be loss of job, possible loss of home, car insurance cost increase, possibly a re-sit of the driving test. Despite this some people still choose to drink or drug drive.”
He said the name and shame threat added to the list of deterrents.
Follow the Twitter hashtag #ThinkDontDrink for updates.
