Charges follow road crackdown

Charges follow road crackdown

Police encouraged by results of clamp down

A police road safety crackdown has led to more than 150 arrests for alleged drink driving offences in Northern Ireland in the past two weeks.

The campaign, known as Operation Viper, aims to cut road deaths and serious injuries on the roads.

So far in 2003, 35 people have died in road accidents in Northern Ireland.

More than 5,500 people have been detected or reported for alleged traffic offences since the start of the Police Service of Northern Ireland operation on 14 February.

FOCUS OF OPERATION VIPER

Speeding

Drinking and driving

Not wearing seatbelts

Reckless driving

The operation was mounted on six days during the two week period.

Police said the results indicated there was still a "hardcore of drivers" who broke the law by drink driving, speeding, driving recklessly or not wearing a seatbelt.

BREAKDOWN OF DETECTIONS

Dangerous driving: 15

Careless driving: 202

Drink driving arrests: 156

Speeding: 1908

No seatbelt: 1003

No insurance: 154

Driving while disqualified: 21

Less serious offences: 2057

Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland said on Monday that too many lives had been lost and too many families devastated by the "selfish actions of others".

Speeding and alcohol are thought to be key factors in many accidents and deaths.

Mr McCausland said: "An element within our society continues to drink and drive, but we will continue to track these drivers down and prosecute them."