Children as young as 14 caught drink-driving

It comes as shock figures revealed that children as young as 14 – three years under the legal age for driving on public roads – are being caught drink-driving in the county.

The revelation has raised concern among children’s charities, which have described the stats as “terrifying”.

Figures show that in 2008, 2009, and 2011, drivers aged 14 were caught drink-driving by Hampshire police.

Hampshire is one of the drink-driving hotspots for under-18s in the country, with 276 offenders caught between 2008 and 2013.

Of those, 74 were under the age of 16.

The figures were obtained by in-car camera provider Nextbase, which said the total number of drink-drive incidents had fallen year-on-year, but a number of areas had seen an increase from 2012 to 2013.

The worst area was Greater Manchester, where 409 under-18s were arrested.

The youngest offender in the country was just 11 when they were apprehended in the Thames Valley area in 2011.

Despite the startling figures, Hampshire police said teenage arrests dropped between 2012 and 2013 when compared to the figure from 2008.

Hampshire Constabulary’s Sergeant Rob Heard said: “Many teenagers understand that if you choose to drink or drug-drive, we will catch you, you will go to court and you will lose your licence.

“We are determined to reduce casualties on our roads and our success in identifying people who drive while impaired through drink or drugs is just one element of our work to do so.

“Each of these arrests potentially represents a life saved on our roads and this research demonstrates that we are detecting these offences effectively.

“Interestingly the figures for 2012 and 2013 are significantly reduced by more than two thirds compared to the figure from 2008. This ongoing decline seems to demonstrate that our educational messages to young drivers are being heard clearly.

“One such example is our ‘Safe Drive, Stay Alive’ series of educational presentations in colleges and community centres across the county. These take place every November, with the first of these being held at King’s Community Church in Hedge End on November 13.”

Jackie Ballard, chief executive at Alcohol Concern, said: “The fact young people have been illegally driving while under the influence of alcohol is terrifying.

“The Government has to get a grip on the fact that young people are bombarded with alcohol advertising which tells them drinking is a normal and positive thing to do and it is often available at pocket money prices. They can start to change this culture by introducing a minimum unit price and restricting alcohol advertising.”

Marolin Watson, from the charity Hope UK, which provides drug and alcohol training and advice to children, said: “Children who drink are endangering their health and setting themselves up for early liver disease, with all its very unpleasant consequences.

“Children who drink and drive endanger not just themselves but other road users as well.

“Education is the key to preventing these incidents of underage drinking (and driving) – and raising the unit price of alcohol should also have an immediate effect in reducing the ready availability of cheap booze to children.”