A POLICE crackdown on festive drink-drivers has pushed North Yorkshire well below the national average for the number of motorists failing the breath test.

During December, only 2.7 per cent of all drivers stopped by North Yorkshire Police either refused to take a breath test or were arrested for drink-driving.

Police chiefs in charge of the winter road safety campaign, Operation Helical Two, have hailed the figure - which is significantly better than the national average of five per cent.

Deputy Chief Constable Adam Briggs said: "Through our hard-line roads policing campaign, Operation Helical Two, we've kept the pressure up on the minority of drivers who persist in putting their lives and those of others at risk.

"I'm pleased that most motorists in our county have heeded our warnings.

"However, there were still over 100 motorists who thought the rules might not apply to them, and they are paying the price through the courts."

Between December 1 and January 1, 4,378 motorists were breath-tested by North Yorkshire Police, leading to 119 arrests - 32 fewer than last year.

Of these offenders, 38 per cent were males aged between 18 and 27 and 20 per cent were males aged between 28 and 37.

Mr Briggs said: "We will continue to work with the 95 Alive partnership to both educate drivers and enforce the law. Our aim is to save lives and dangerous driving will not be tolerated in North Yorkshire. Road safety is, and will continue to be, one of North Yorkshire Police's highest priorities."

Members of the 95 Alive partnership also welcomed the success of Operation Helical Two, which is set to continue until the end of February.

Chairman of the partnership, Chris Anderson, said: "This year's drink-drive campaign was our largest ever in North Yorkshire and I'm delighted that it's worked so effectively.

"The message has clearly got through to drivers and I'm pleased that the majority have heeded the warning.

"There is absolutely no excuse for drink-driving and most motorists realise that it's just not worth taking the risk."

Operation Helical Two follows the success of Operation Helical, which targeted dangerous, careless and irresponsible road users across the county's 6,000 miles of roads.

During August and September, North Yorkshire Police stopped more than 11,400 vehicles as part of the operation and caught 3,000 speeding offenders, 300 document offenders, 550 mobile phone offenders and 1,700 seat belt offenders.

Humberside Police is also celebrating a successful festive period, with only 1.98 per cent of drivers who were checked, failing or refusing the breath test.