Police praised the family of drink drive victim Lauren Danks for backing their Christmas and New Year road safety campaign.

“Thanks to a drink driver, the family of Lauren Danks have just spent another Christmas without her,” said a force spokesperson.

“Lauren had a life and a family like everyone else. In 2016 she was killed on her way home from work by Nelson Curtis. He was driving at more than 100mph on the A11 at Red Lodge, Suffolk. Curtis was later jailed for seven years”.

Wisbech Standard: The family of Lauren Danks who was killed by a drink driver are backing a New Year safety campaign by Cambridgeshire police.The family of Lauren Danks who was killed by a drink driver are backing a New Year safety campaign by Cambridgeshire police. (Image: Family of Lauren Danks)

Lauren's mum Claire said: “We think about Lauren every day and have many wonderful memories. But there are so many more we won’t get to have. We won’t see her get married; she will never have children. We don’t even know what she would look like now.

“What happened that night haunts us every day. Please don’t be the cause of another family’s tragedy. Please don’t drink and drive.”

The spokesperson said: “Claire is supporting our campaign to crackdown on drink and drug drivers.

“You can help too. Report drink or drug drivers by calling 0800 032 0845, our dedicated, confidential 24/7 hotline.”

In Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire last year, motorists were twice as likely to be involved in a serious or fatal collision if they had been drinking or taking drugs.

Mrs Danks, from Soham, is now an ambassador for the Road Victims Trust, a charity that supports victims of fatal and life-changing road collisions across the three counties.

She said: “Being told our daughter was dead was like dropping a bomb and blowing our lives into pieces. The pain is unimaginable and there is nothing that will fix it”.

Last year, 2,244 motorists were caught drink or drug driving across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire; the equivalent to one every four hours.

Wisbech Standard: The family of Lauren Danks are sharing intimate photos such as this to support Cambridgeshire police in a drink drive campaign for the New Year.The family of Lauren Danks are sharing intimate photos such as this to support Cambridgeshire police in a drink drive campaign for the New Year. (Image: Family of Lauren Danks)

Sergeant James Thorne, from the BCH Roads Policing Unit, said: "It has been a hard year and we understand some people will want to make the most of the festivities. While 2020 has been different in so many ways, the law remains the same. If we catch you driving under the influence, we will prosecute you.

“Whether you stay at home or go out to celebrate, remember that alcohol takes time to leave your system. Every person is different.

"It is very difficult to know exactly how much alcohol has been consumed and how long it will take to leave your bloodstream. You may still be over the drink drive limit the following morning.”

Motorists caught drink or drug driving face a 12-month ban, a large fine, and a criminal record. These can lead to job loss, relationship breakdowns, foreign travel restrictions and increased insurance premiums.