Drink-drive police stop 340 cars

Out of 240 drivers stopped leaving the city, 13 were breath tested

Three hundred and forty vehicles were stopped on their way into Brighton on the first night of Sussex Police's Christmas anti drink-drive campaign.

Officers stopped the vehicles on roads including the A23 on Saturday night to warn drivers they would be watching and waiting as they left the city.

Later that evening, 240 vehicles were stopped. Of the 13 drivers breath tested, none were over the limit.

Across the county 163 breath tests were carried out and 12 arrests made.

'Picking up pieces'

In Brighton, two arrests were made as officers attended a number of collisions.

"We want to stop people drinking before they get behind the wheel, rather than picking up the pieces later after they've been in a crash," said Supt Paul Morrison.

"That is why we warned people before enforcement took place."

The Christmas anti drink-drive campaign has a poster, with the strapline "Getting Smashed Tonight", which will be displayed in pubs and clubs across Sussex.

Further high-profile enforcement will take place on 6, 13, 20 and 27 December, focusing in different districts each evening.

"During December 2006 and January 2007, alcohol was a factor in more than 14% of casualties from crashes - this is not acceptable," said Supt Morrison.