Drivers tempted to risk drinking or taking drugs this Christmas are being warned there will be more police than every before ready to carry out breathalyser tests.

Officers in units other than road policing, including firearm officers, have now been trained up how to use them says Chief Inspector Mark Bownass who leads Roads Policing at West Yorkshire Police.

“We will be out there morning, noon and night,” he warned at the start of this year’s seasonal road safety campaign to persaude drinkers to stay away from getting behind the wheel over the festive time.

A YouTube video showing graphic images from real-life incidents and emotional accounts by police officers of dealing with crashes caused by drink or drugs had almost 2,000 hits in its first 24 hours.

In the video one officer talks about having to ask a mother to identify her daughter’s driving licence, taken from an accident scene, before telling her she is dead.

The idea of the campaign, which will run until January 1, is to highlight the reality of those type of collisions and how they affect not just the victims and their families but also thosewho have to deal with the aftermath.

Chief Insp Bownass said: “My officers have to go home and deal with it. They are professional and put on a face at work but it does affect them.

“The message to drivers is don’t drink and don’t take drugs. Don’t ruin your families happiness at this time or anyone else’s. Don’t have it on your conscience. Get a taxi or nominate a driver.”

He also said people should put their own safety first when out with friends who have been drinking and want to drive, he said: “Try to persuade them not to. You can’t force them but don’t put yourself in danger - just walk away.”

As well as having more officers knowing how to use breathalysers, the road policing units will be staging random road checks.

Between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012 there were 2,406 people arrested for drink driving.