AS part of Essex Police's ongoing commitment to tackling drink and drug driving, officers carried out a road safety operation in Maldon on Saturday, 27 December under Operation Limit - an initiative aiming to keep Essex roads safe by targeting those who choose to drive under the influence.

During the operation more than 90 vehicles were stopped, with every driver subjected to both breath and drug tests. Three people were arrested for drug driving, reinforcing our zero-tolerance approach because driving under the influence of drink or drugs is never acceptable.

In addition to these arrests, officers identified 37 separate vehicle offences, including:

• Mobile phone use: 5
• Seatbelt offences: 9
• Failure to maintain proper control: 1
• Dangerous condition: 2
• Speeding: 2
• No insurance: 1
• Construction and Use offences: 8
• Tyre cord exposed: 1
• Defective number plates: 2
• Cracked windscreen glass: 3
• Illegal window tints removed: 2

One vehicle was prohibited from being driven due to having four bald tyres, two of which had ply and cords exposed – a serious risk to road safety. Tyres must have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre.