MORE than half the drink drivers caught in Cumbria’s latest crackdown had been involved in a crash. 

Force figures reveal there were 41 people who either failed or refused to provide a test during the summer campaign, with 23 of the checks following a collision. 

The percentage of motorists being caught went up in this year’s annual operation, carried out in June. More than 500 people were breath-tested – a much lower amount than in the same period in 2014, when 1,587 tests were carried out. But eight per cent of those tested this year failed or refused to provide a test, compared to four per cent the year before. 

Officers say that this time they prioritised checks based on information about the driver or circumstances, crediting this with the percentage increase. 

Chief Inspector Matt Kennerley said: “Results like this are always disappointing as it shows that motorists continue to gamble on their own or other road users’ lives. “Any amount of alcohol or drugs can affect a motorist’s ability to drive safely. “Our advice to all motorists is that if you’re planning on driving a vehicle, do not drink any alcohol or take drugs. “Different amounts of alcohol or drugs can have different effects due to a wide range of variables. “If people continue to driver while they have alcohol or drugs in their system it will only be a matter of time before we are dealing with fatal consequences.” 

Chris Broadbent, of the Cumbria Road Safety Partnership – a collection of agencies fighting to cut road deaths and injuries, also spoke about the results. He said: “They provide evidence that there are people who continue to risk lives by acting irresponsibly.” Cumbria’s crime commissioner, Richard Rhodes, revealed his disappointment. “Despite the best efforts of the police and our partners, there are still some individuals who clearly flout the law and have no regard for their safety or that of other innocent road users,” he added. “This is why we need to continue to do what we can to raise awareness through campaigns such as this.”