A HARD core of drivers are still ignoring the drink-drive message - despite a get-tough policy by police.

Over the space of nine days, between December 13 and 22 a total of 491 drivers and riders were breath-tested by police, either at static checks, by patrolling officers, or after accidents.

Out of those there were 37 breath test failures, five of them from tests taken after collisions.

Road policing Inspector Chris Charlton said: "That is not many as a proportion of the vast number of vehicles that drive in and through North Yorkshire every day, but it is still very disappointing."

"What that figure means is that there is still a hard core of drivers who think they know better than all the experts who have hard evidence that drink and driving is a lethal combination. This force intends to continue hunting down this arrogant minority, and to get them off the roads. We will continue our effort to get these people off our roads, with patrols, breath-tests of every single driver involved in an accident and, especially, static checks.

"They can be on any road, at any time, and we are particularly aware of morning-after drivers - those who set out with the previous night's alcohol still in their system."

However he said he was very encouraged by the positive reaction of drivers to the static checks.