Drink and drug drivers will be targeted by police over the course of the next month as part of a summer campaign in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Norwich Evening News: Roadside breathalyser. Photo : Steve AdamsRoadside breathalyser. Photo : Steve Adams (Image: Steve Adams)

The campaign, which launched yesterday, will last until June 30 and will see officers from both counties testing drivers who commit various offences and all drivers involved in a collision.

The officers will test for the presence of alcohol and drugs and, if over the specified limits, both offences carry an obligatory driving disqualification and in the most serious cases, imprisonment.

Sergeant Peter Howlett of the roads policing unit said: 'This is an offence we target all year round but the summer campaign gives us the opportunity to raise awareness of the dangers driving under the influence can have, that a minority of motorists still chose to ignore.

'Drink or drug driving impairs your judgement, making your reactions slower, therefore increasing the chance of being involved in a collision.'

The campaign will involve targeted roadside activities by roads policing officers with support from uniformed colleagues across the county.

During last year's campaign (2017) 62 motorists were caught drink or drug driving in Suffolk while 25 were caught in Norfolk.

Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner Lorne Green said: 'It is clear from last year's statistics that too many motorists chose to drive while under the influence of drink or drugs.

'It is just not worth the risk and is an irresponsible and selfish thing to do.

'We all have a part to play in keeping our roads safe so let's not make this summer one to remember for all the wrong reasons.' The launch of the campaign comes after a weekend in which a driver who was stopped by police for using a phone was then found to be driving under the influence and in possession of cannabis.

It happened in Sale Road, Norwich, on Sunday at around 10am.

On the same day, in the west of the county, roads policing officers stopped at Audi travelling at 124mph on the A47 at Terrington St John.

The driver also failed a roadside drug test and was arrested on suspicion of drug driving.