Drink and Drug Driving Arrests Reach Record High During Police Christmas Campaign

Published on: 18 Feb, 2026
Updated on: 20 Feb, 2026

By Esme Campbell

This winter saw more drink and drug driving arrests than ever before in Surrey, with drug driving continuing to be the bigger issue across the county.

Arrests soared to 369 in total over the Operation Limit campaign mounted over the Christmas period, an 88 per cent increase from the year before, data from Surrey Police shows

There were twice as many cases of drug driving than drink driving, which reflects year-round trends of drug driving becoming more prevalent, Surrey Police said.

The arrests were made during Operation Limit, a month-long national programme that aims to tackle the number of fatalities caused by driving under the influence.

Chief Inspector Karen Coyne, Roads Policing Operational Command Lead, said: “Every arrest represents a potential tragedy prevented.

“Drink and drug driving ruins lives not just for those behind the wheel, but for families, passengers and everyone using the road networks.

“Through targeted patrols, proactive stops and roadside testing, we have removed a significant number of impaired drivers from our roads, helping to protect all road users.”

Cases of drug driving have continued to rise in Surrey over the last couple of years, seeing 120 motorists arrested for the offence during Op Limit 2023, compared to 167 during the most recent campaign.

Drink and drug driving are part of the “Fatal 5” behaviours most often linked to serious and fatal collisions, a spokesperson for Surrey RoadSafe said.

The partnership works to tackle this through education, including campaigns and events, as well as enforcement.

The spokesperson said: “Surrey RoadSafe is increasingly concerned about drug-driving on Surrey’s roads.

“Many people still associate impaired driving primarily with alcohol, but drug-driving is a serious and rising issue and can have devastating consequences.

“Drugs, including some prescription and over-the-counter medicines, can significantly affect judgement, reaction times and concentration, and drivers may not always realise how impaired they are.

“Our main concern is that anyone who gets behind the wheel after taking drugs is putting themselves, their passengers and other road users at risk of serious injury or death.”

The first national drug driving campaign in a decade was launched in November by ‘THINK!’, following a 70 per cent increase in driver fatalities where drugs were present between 2014 and 2023.

The campaign’s own survey this year found that 32 per cent of men aged 17-30 think it is acceptable to drive after taking drugs if they feel fine.

Drug driving limits vary depending on the substance, but the offence encompasses both illegal and legally prescribed drugs. The limit for illegal drugs is very low.

For alcohol, the limit for drivers in England is 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood, although how many units this is varies for each person.

Even when under the limit, motorists could be arrested for impaired driving due to drink or drugs if the substances are in their system.

The Surrey RoadSafe spokesperson said: “Our message is clear: if you are unfit to drive due to drink or drugs, don’t take the risk.

“Those who choose to put themselves and others in danger should expect to be dealt with through the criminal justice system.”