Drivers from Totnes and Dartmouth arrested for drink driving after "weekend of enforcement"

Ten drivers suspected of drink driving have been arrested in South Devon following a weekend of enforcement activity.

The arrests took place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September in Torquay, Paignton, Totnes, Dartmouth and Newton Abbot, where six men and four women were arrested on suspicion of drink driving.  

Police are reminding motorists of the dangers and consequences of getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.

Patrol Inspector Wes Watkins said: “Driving while under the influence of drink or drugs is one of the common causes of serious or fatal road traffic collisions.  

“Reckless behaviour that puts yourself and others in danger will not be tolerated by police - it’s not worth losing your driving licence or risk being involved in a serious injury or fatal collision.

“Unfortunately, we are having to deal with a proportion of motorists who make unsafe or poor decisions.

Insp Watkins continued: “We want to remind drivers of the consequences of getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drink or drugs. We urge motorists to plan ahead and look into alternative travel options such as public transport, licenced taxis, or arranging a lift with a friend or family member.   

“With the darker autumn evenings around the corner, it’s important that drivers pre-plan their journey and are not tempted to take risks by getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.

“We’ll continue to carry out proactive patrols and operations to keep our roads and road users safe.”

All those arrested were taken into custody, where blood samples were taken for further analysis. They were all released under investigation pending toxicology results.

Devon and Cornwall Police are part of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership which aims to cut the number of offences known as the ‘Fatal Five’.

If you suspect someone is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, dial 999 immediately with the vehicle information and direction of travel. If you would like to share intelligence in relation to someone who regularly drives under the influence of drugs or alcohol, please call 101 or fill in an intelligence form on our website: Home | Devon & Cornwall Police.

There are safe, low-cost night buses available at weekends in various places across Devon and Cornwall.

For detailed information about the timetables visit:

Devon: Night rider | Stagecoach
Cornwall: Transport for Cornwall

For more information about Vision Zero South West and the Fatal Five visit The Vision Zero Pledge | Projects | Vision Zero South West.