MORE than 8,000 people have been caught drink or drug driving in West Yorkshire over the past two years.

In 2020, an average of 406 people have been caught driving under the influence every month between January and October.

This figure stands almost 50 arrests higher than the average for 2019, when 357 people were arrested each month for drink or drug driving.

These figure have been revealed in a Freedom of Information request submitted to West Yorkshire Police requesting arrest figures for driving under the influence of drink and drugs in 2019 and 2020.

West Yorkshire Police said the rise in arrests can be explained by an increased focus on keeping roads safe, and more officers being trained to use roadside alcohol and drugs tests.

There have also been almost 300 more arrests for drug driving in the ten months of figures for 2020 than there were in the whole of 2019.

The worst month in 2019 for both drink and drug driving was December, when the majority of people celebrate Christmas

Throughout this December, West Yorkshire Police has been reminding people not to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol over the festive period, even the morning after.

While not included in the Freedom of Information data, on December 23, West Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit tweeted that in the first three weeks of this month there had been 250 arrests across the county for drink and drug driving.

In total, police have made 5,377 arrests for drink driving since January 2019, an average of seven people every day.

December 2019 was the worst month for drink driving with 321 arrests, followed by July 2020 with 288, and August 2020 with 281.

The latter two months coincide with when pubs were allowed to reopen following the first national Covid-19 lockdown, with restrictions on hospitality lifting on July 8.

Since January 2019, there have been 3,131 arrests for drug driving, with numbers increasing significantly in 2020; so much so that in the ten months of 2020 to October, there were 1,709 drug driving arrests, almost 300 higher than in the entirety of 2019.

So far in 2020, five people each day have been stopped for drug driving.

Offending hit its peak in May when 209 people were arrested, followed by April when the number of arrests stood at 180.

West Yorkshire Police said more officers are now trained to use roadside tests and it has stepped up its use of drug wipes, which may explain the increase, and it also has increased its focus on making the streets of the county safer.

Chief Inspector Lisa Kirkland, Head of West Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “Every year we catch people driving under the influence - not just in the evening but also the next day.

“If you are planning to drink on an evening and drive the next day it’s advisable to plan ahead so you’re not over the limit when you’re out on the roads.

“Anyone caught drink or drug driving potentially faces losing their licence and being fined. In some cases, it may even result in a prison sentence.

“The use of drink or drugs can impair your driving ability and has also been found to be a contributory factor in fatal collisions.

“During this festive season we ask for all road users to look out for each other and be mindful of their own safety.”

Drink driving results in an automatic ban of one year, plus a fine and up to six months in prison, and the punishment for drug driving is the same. If you kill someone will driving under the influence you could be jailed for up to 14 years.