Moment shameless drunk driver tells police that he was swerving all over the road to avoid POTHOLES

• Incidents of drink driving in the UK are rising year on year, data has revealed

This is the moment a shameless drunk driver told police he was swerving all over the road to ‘stop driving over bloody potholes’.

The motorist was caught on film slurring his excuse to Northamptonshire Police officers who stopped him after alarm was raised about his erratic driving.

Several drivers were caught driving dangerously on the roads this year. Police stopped one man for driving at 70mph on a busy road while another suspected drunk driver was caught with open beer cans in the car. 

Incidents of drink driving in the UK are rising year on year, data has shown. 

Drivers who cause a death while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs face up to 14 years’ in prison.

Northamptonshire Police has launched its annual winter campaign to promote safer driving. As part of the campaign, the force has released a video compilation featuring footage from traffic stops involving suspected drug and drink drivers

In one clip, an officer took a swab of a driver’s tongue which revealed he had taken cocaine. Another man, who was a passenger in the car, then told the officers: ‘[He failed] on what cocaine? That’s alright, that’s nothing mate

The suspected drunk driver gave his bizarre excuse to police after being pulled over following reports that he had been swerving on the road.

Footage from the traffic stop, which was released as part of the force’s annual safe driver campaign, showed he asked police: ‘How has this come about?’

An officer replied: ‘We’ve had a phone call in relation to the manner of your driving, I’ve then witnessed your driving being that lower than what I believe someone who’s currently not drink driving to be.’

The driver then interrupted and said: ‘I was trying to stop driving over bloody potholes.’

In another clip, an officer had to repeatedly knock on the window of a Transit van after the driver was so drunk he had passed out at the wheel.

He admitted ‘drinking too much’ but officers were horrified when his breath test revealed he had 103mcg per 100ml of breath – almost three times the legal limit which is 35mcg.

Another suspected drunk driver repeatedly asked an officer if he will be arrested.

Finally, the exasperated officer told him: ‘I suspect you probably will get arrested for drink driving because you’ve asked me that about four times.’

The driver replied: ‘Yeah I probably am, am I going to nicked for that?’

The officer said: ‘Yeah probably. I think so.’

Incidents of drink driving in the UK are rising year on year, data has shown. Pictured is a driver taken into custody on suspicion of drink driving

One man stopped for suspected drink driving told Northamptonshire Police: ‘I’m not that drunk’

During another stop, an officer is audibly shocked at the recklessness of a drunk driver. He is heard saying: ‘They’ve got child seats in the back for god’s sake.’

In an instance in which police stopped a suspected drug driver, an officer is heard telling the motorist: ‘Your car stinks of weed, have you got some in there?’

The driver answered: ‘I might have a little bit mate to be honest, I don’t know.’

Another video shows an officer taking a swab of a driver’s tongue which reveals he had taken cocaine.

Another man, who was a passenger in the car, then told the officers: ‘[He failed] on what cocaine? That’s alright, that’s nothing mate.’

Another video showed a driver stopping his car on the zig-zag lines of a motorway slip road after being instructed to follow officers to a safer road.

The bemused officer said: ‘Why have you stopped there? Don’t stop on the motorway.’

Another driver was also caught hurtling 70mph down a road in a 30mph zone while over the limit.

Drivers who cause a death while driving under the influence of drink or drugs face up to 14 years’ in prison.

Between January and September of this year, a further 707 road users were been caught drink driving.

Last year, Northamptonshire Police arrested a total of 995 people on suspicion of drink driving. 

In an instance in which police stopped a suspected drug driver, an officer is heard telling the motorist: ‘Your car stinks of weed, have you got some in there?’ The driver answered: ‘I might have a little bit mate to be honest, I don’t know’

During the winter campaign in 2022, 99 motorists were charged with drink driving and 18 arrested for failing a roadside drug test.

This compared to 83 and 13 respectively for the same period in 2021.

Inspector Ian Wills, of Northamptonshire Police Roads Policing Team, said: ‘Even the slightest amount of alcohol or drugs in your system can affect the way you drive, increasing the risk of serious harm to yourself and other road users.

‘It’s not possible to say how much alcohol you can drink and stay below the limit as the way alcohol affects you depends on various factors, and the risks of getting behind the wheel, not just on the night when you have been drinking, but also the morning after, could be fatal.’

During this month extra patrols will be held across the county along with proactive operations and roadside checks.

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