Police voice concern over potential rise in drink-driving due to rural transport scarcity

An inspector from West Mercia Police has voiced concerns that insufficient taxi services and public transportation in rural areas could prompt individuals to engage in drink-driving during the Christmas period. Inspector Damien Kelly made these remarks as the police force launched its yearly initiative aimed at decreasing instances of drink-driving throughout the festive season. Inspector Kelly stated, “People are willing to take more risks [at this time of year],” noting that this follows the apprehension of 266 individuals across Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire during the 2023 festive period. The police force confirmed that 36 fatalities have been linked to drink-driving over the past three years. These issues are compounded by the fact that a greater number of people attend parties and social gatherings at this time of year. Inspector Kelly further commented, “[And] South Shropshire is very rural so what we find with a lack of taxis, public transport things like that, people will often be tempted to drink drive.” For updates, BBC Shropshire is available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. This content is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the material found on external websites and provides information regarding its policy on external links.