DRIVERS in Merseyside are still willing to risk lives by drinking and driving warn police after 311 drivers were arrested for positive or refused tests in a festive four week anti-drink driving campaign.

Merseyside Police last night hailed their latest campaign a success after stopping 18,000 drivers - the highest number ever during their Christmas and New Year clamp down.

During the campaign, which is supported by all five local authorities on Merseyside, 5,388 of the drivers stopped were tested - with 5.8% arrested for positive, refused or failed tests.

Nationally, just under 20% of drivers tested were arrested.

Of the 311 positive tests on Merseyside, 73.9% of those were 25 years or older, and 26% were under the age of 25.

During December, 348 drivers were also tested following road traffic collisions - resulting in 17 drivers being arrested for a positive, refused or failed test.

The last three years of Christmas drink drive campaigns on Merseyside, have resulted in a year-on-year reduction in the number of collisions in which drinking was a contributory factor. Provisional data for the 2007 campaign indicates that there is a fall of approximately 20% in the number of injury road traffic collisions reported during the campaign period compared to the

same period last year.

Acting Road Policing Inspector Steve Hardy said: "Overall when we compare the total number of drivers stopped to the number providing positive breath tests we have seen a 1% reduction compared to the campaign in 2006.

“When this is combined with the reduction we have seen in

collisions this is good news.

"However, further analysis of the campaign results show there are still motorists willing to take the risks drink driving bring.

“Whilst we all know the personal consequences of being arrested for drink driving these drivers do not appear to be care about other road users and the effect they may have on them should they be involved in a collision.

“Due to the robust enforcement of roads policing we have seen the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads reduced significantly over the last three years.

“The number of fatalities has reduced by half since 2005 - in 2005 there were 64 fatalities, in 2006 there were 46 fatalities and in 2007 31 people died as a result of road traffic collisions on Merseyside.”

Figures released for the same period by Lancashire Police show a total of 5,849 breath tests were carried out on motorists across the county during the operation - compared to 4,323 breath tests for the previous year.

They included routine tests on drivers involved in accidents as well as those who were flagged down to take part at special checkpoints.

Of the 5,849 people who were tested, the total number who tested positive or refused to provide a breath sample was 195 compared to 198 in 2006/2007.

Chief Inspector Jon Donnelly, Lancashire Constabulary’s Road Policing Manager, said: “These figures are incredibly encouraging and would suggest that the drink-drive message is getting through.

“We have carried out 1,526 more breath tests than last year but have seen a reduction in the number of people testing positive or refusing to provide a sample.

“However, there are still the reckless few who are prepared to gamble on their own and other peoples lives. People must remember that even a small amount of drink will affect a person’s ability to drive. There is simply no excuse for drink driving and it won’t be tolerated.”