More than 1,500 people across Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire were stopped to provide roadside breath tests as part of a crack-down on drug and drink-driving.
It led to more than 200 drivers being arrested over the Christmas period as all three police forces launched the annual campaign and now the results have been released to the press.
In Derbyshire, police said 575 breath tests were conducted in December, last year, with 89 of those people testing positive or refusing to take the test. This equated to 15.4 per cent of those arrested.
A total of 20 tests were conducted for drugs of which six people, or 30 per cent, testing positive.
This was in a contrast to its figures for December, 2016, when 273 motorists were breath tested with 43 people testing positive or refusing to take the test. This equated to 15.7 per cent of those arrested.
During this period in December 2016, 25 drug tests were carried out of which eight were positive.
Across the border in Leicestershire, police revealed that they arrested 99 people for drink or drug-driving during December, last year, which included 21 for drug-driving and another 35 who were pulled over following road accidents. A Leicestershire police spokesman noted that a third of these drivers were aged 25 or under. It added that more than 60 arrests were made in towns and villages in the county.
Staffordshire Police revealed its figures following an Freedom of Information request from the Burton Mail.
It showed in Staffordshire that police stopped 908 people who were breath tested, with 145 were arrested for suspecting to be over the legal limit, making a total of 16 per cent of those stopped.
Of those 145, 89 were charged and released on bail and set to appear in court. Four were charged and remanded into custody awaiting appearing in court. A total of 32 cases required no further action and two people came under the term ‘other’, the figures showed.
Another 17 were released under investigation and one person was sent a court date through the post.
Matt Derrick, tactical support inspector for Staffordshire Police, said: “We were pleased with the results of December’s drink drinking operation. Officers were proactively deployed around the county, especially on critical dates and as part of ‘morning after’ operations.
“The good news is that the majority of drivers screened did not have excess alcohol in their system. Unfortunately, the figures continue to show that 16 per cent of all those screened were arrested. For some the message does not seem to ever be heeded and they continue to risk not only their own lives but the lives of others on our roads.
“The policing of our roads, and in particular the targeting of drivers under the influence of drink or drugs, continues to be a daily priority for us, further bolstered by force wide campaigns at key times of the year.”
