Op Limit, Drink Driving Together We Can Stop it – December 2022

Sussex Safer Roads Partnership is support Sussex and Surrey Police’s ‘Op Limit’, calling on the public to prevent, persuade and report drink drivers this Christmas.

Sussex Police is asking friends to plan ahead for their night out over the festive period. Who is your designated driver?  Can you pre-book a taxi? Can you walk to the venue?

There’s also a role for persuasion – can you step in to help someone who’s about to drink drive to get home safely?

If persuasion doesn’t work, you can report a drink driver to us so we can stop them, arrest them and get them off the road.  Last year, officers in Sussex and Surrey made more than 2,000 drink and drug drive arrests.

Would you report a drink driver this Christmas?

That’s the question being posed by Chief Constable Jo Shiner, the country’s most senior police officer for road safety, as part of a national crackdown on drink driving.

The major new campaign urges the public to ‘help prevent, persuade and call the police’ on drink drivers this winter.

Latest survey figures show:

• 81% of Brits (88% in Sussex and Surrey) say drink drivers should be reported to the police… but less than half would actually do it in practice
• 36% of men and 46% of women say they’d take a drink driver’s car keys off them.
• Only 2% say they wouldn’t try to stop a friend from drink driving

The new national campaign, called ‘Drink Driving – Together We Can Stop It’, appeals to the public’s sense of shared responsibility to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.

It runs alongside a national police operation called Op Limit, where all police forces in England and Wales are increasing their presence on the roads to coincide with the football world cup and lead up to Christmas to target and catch drink and drug drivers.

In 2020 (latest published figures) an estimated 6,480 people were killed or injured in the UK when one of the drivers involved was over the drink-drive limit.

Chief Constable Jo Shiner, who is the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Roads Policing, is sharing a message for all drivers and their friends.

She said: “Drink driving destroys lives, but tragically every day reckless drivers get behind the wheel and put themselves and others at risk.

“People who drink drive need to be stopped. Our campaign aims to save lives by deterring people from drink and drug-driving, and to deal robustly with offenders.

To find out more please visit:

Police call on public to prevent, persuade and report drink drivers this Christmas | Sussex Police

You can help prevent drink driving by taking steps such as pre-booking a taxi before a night out, agreeing with friends or loved ones to attend a venue where you can all walk to, or agree to have a designated driver for the night who does not drink alcohol.

Friends and family members are also encouraged to help persuade someone who may be intoxicated not to get behind the wheel, such as by offering a lift with a designated driver, offering a place to stay, booking them a taxi, or taking a drink-driver’s keys off them.

But if you are unable to prevent or persuade a drink-driver, the public are urged to report them to the police.

Being intoxicated through either alcohol or drugs is one of the “fatal five” factors in why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.

The other factors are driving at excess speed, not wearing a seatbelt, being distracted such as by using a mobile phone, and careless or inconsiderate driving.

The consequences of drink or drug-driving could include the following:

• A minimum 12 month ban;
• An unlimited fine;
• A possible prison sentence;
• A criminal record, which could affect your current and future employment;
• An increase in your car insurance;
• Trouble travelling to countries such as the USA;
• You could also kill or seriously injure yourself or someone else.

14/12/22 UPDATE:

Dozens of drivers have been arrested on suspicion of drink or drug-driving as part of Sussex Police’s annual crackdown.

Officers from across the county have been working as part of Op Limit, a nationwide campaign to catch offenders on our roads.

After the first two weeks, 87 drivers have been arrested on our roads on suspicion of drink or drug driving in Sussex.

Of those, 28 have already been charged with offences and will appear in court later this month or early in the New Year 2023.

Superintendent Rachel Glenton said: “It is concerning that we are still seeing so many irresponsible drivers getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

“Some of those we have arrested have been involved in collisions on the road and put themselves and other road users at risk.

“Our officers are determined to catch offenders to prevent them from causing serious harm.

“We police the roads 24/7 and our work to catch those who are over the limit continues all year round. So those who are over the limit while driving should be warned that while we cannot be everywhere, officers could be anywhere.

“If you suspect someone is seeking to drive while over the limit for alcohol or drugs, you should report them to the police. It could save someone’s life.”

To find out more please visit:

Drink and drug drivers arrested in Sussex Police crackdown | Sussex Police