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A man from Londonderry has expressed his frustration at the rising number of drivers caught with alcohol or drugs in their systems, stating that such behavior shows a selfish disregard for others. This comes after recent figures from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) revealed that half of the motorists tested for drugs during their winter safety campaign returned positive results. The man, Bobby Bradley, tragically lost his son Robert, 20, 25 years ago when a drink driver who was three times over the legal limit sped down a one-way street in Nottingham, resulting in Robert’s death as he was a university student at the time.
Chief Superintendent Sam Donaldson disclosed that, since the start of 2025, 52 people have died on Northern Ireland’s roads. He shared that in the first half of the winter drink-driving campaign alone, 129 arrests were made for suspected drink or drug driving. Donaldson urged the public to reflect on the devastating impact these incidents have on families, emphasizing that the figures represent real human suffering. Speaking on BBC’s Good Morning Ulster, he described the numbers as “shocking,” highlighting that behind the statistics are numerous families whose lives have been permanently altered by road tragedies.
Bobby Bradley, chair of Life After—a support group for families affected by road traffic deaths—spoke candidly about the profound effect his son’s death has had on his family. He revealed how deeply it affected his wife, who struggled to cope in the aftermath, avoiding even simple tasks like leaving the front door or climbing the stairs. He also commented on the current trend of drug use among drivers, noting that it is likely more common than drink-driving due to the widespread use of drugs across all age groups.
Bradley reflected on the way people underestimate the dangers of driving under the influence. He said many think, “Oh I’ll be grand, it’ll never happen to me,” despite the obvious risks. Recalling his son Robert’s character, he described him as humorous and well-liked at university, where over a thousand people attended a memorial in his honor. Bradley recounted Robert’s last phone call to his mother, sharing a moment of light-heartedness that belied the tragic outcome later that night, just over a week before Christmas in 2000. Chief Superintendent Donaldson added that despite ongoing public safety campaigns, a small number of people continue to wrongly believe it is acceptable to drive after consuming alcohol or drugs, stressing that even small amounts impair driving ability and that such risks are simply unacceptable
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