WEST Yorkshire Police has launched its Christmas drink drug drive awareness campaign which will continue throughout December.

The Force will be carrying out intensive enforcement activity on our roads and taking every opportunity to remind people of the potentially fatal consequences of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs.

As part of this year’s campaign, officers have shared some of the poor excuses they hear from motorists who have been arrested for driving whilst under the influence of drink and drugs. Chief Inspector James Farrar, Head of the Roads Policing Unit said: “This year’s campaign centres around ‘The 12 Excuses of Christmas’ – to highlight just some of the reasons people come up with to try and justify why they have been caught driving over the limit of drink or drugs.” Common excuses include ‘I only had a couple’, ‘I wasn’t driving very far’ or ‘I haven’t had a drink since last night’.

Members of the public are encouraged to do what they can to keep the roads safe this Christmas by reporting anyone they suspect of regularly driving under the influence of drink or drugs - there is a reporting form on the West Yorkshire Police website.