MORE than 100 arrests have been made this month as part of Dorset Police's Christmas crack down on drink and drug driving.

Police have arrested 131 drivers so far in December, who are putting the public at risk of serious harm by driving under the influence of drink or drugs.

Dorset Police launched its annual Christmas drink and drug drive campaign on December 1. Drugwipe sample kits are used at the roadside on drivers suspected of being unfit to drive through drugs, providing an instant result.

As reported, 54 people were arrested within the first 10 days of the campaign.

When the campaign launched, Inspector Joe Pardey, head of the Alliance Roads Policing team in Dorset, said: "Alcohol and drugs impair many of the functions necessary for safe driving; reaction times and spatial awareness are affected significantly. This may still be the case the morning after, depending on how much alcohol you consumed the night before and when you stopped drinking.

"If police think you are unfit to drive through consumption of alcohol, even if your breath test registers lower than the prescribed limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath you can still be arrested and may be charged with an offence. In short, you do not have to be drunk to be a drink driver. Don’t risk it. "