Lincolnshire Police want to warn motorists of the dangers of drink and drug driving this festive season

Along with the usual Christmas parties, World Cup matches will also be taking place during the build up to Christmas, and New Year, so Lincolnshire Police are expecting people to be socialising more and more.

The campaign will see Lincolnshire Police implement enforcement activity on the county’s roads throughout December.

Officers will be carrying out extra patrols, and checkpoints will be set up in select locations with officers conducting drink and drug tests.

Lincolnshire Police launched the Roads Policing Unit earlier this year which means that there will be more officers than ever before patrolling the county’s roads.

Inspector Jason Baxter, of the Roads Policing Unit, said: "We hear a lot of people saying that police are just out there trying to arrest drink drivers and we should be catching ‘real criminals’.

"Our main priority continues to be making our county, and our roads, safer. Over the last year three people died and 39 people were seriously injured in Lincolnshire, with drink and/or drugs listed as a contributing factor.

"Our job is to try to reduce this number, and if this campaign makes people think twice about getting out there and drink or drug driving that’s the whole point.”

Alcohol and drugs affect people in different ways, Lincolnshire Police warn that there is no magic formula to calculate how long it takes for these to leave your system.

Insp Baxter said: “Taking drink and drugs impairs your ability to do things, including driving. If you drink or drug-drive you are more likely to be involved in a collision.

"We know that people will want to get out and celebrate. We don’t want to stop you having fun, but please do so safely.

"Consider making other arrangements to get home, the cost of a taxi or the inconvenience of having to pick up your vehicle the next day is a much better alternative to facing the penalties of being arrested.”