‘Drug-driving at Christmas increasing shows people are selfish’

A Londonderry man whose son was killed by a drink driver has said the amount of drivers being found with drink or drugs in their system maddens him.

It comes as the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) revealed that 50% of drivers tested for drugs during their winter campaign have come back positive.

Robert Bradley, 20, was killed 25 years ago as a student in Nottingham when a driver, who was three times over the legal limit, sped the wrong way down a one-way street.

“People are so selfish. They don’t think of the consequences. They don’t think of anybody else,” his father Bobby Bradley told BBC News NI.

Ch Supt Sam Donaldson said that since the start of 2025, 52 people have lost their lives on roads across Northern Ireland.

“Preliminary figures show 129 arrests have been made across Northern Ireland on suspicion of drink or drug driving during the first 15 days of the forces winter drink-drive campaign,” he said.

He added that everyone should “pause and think of this and how too many families have been plunged into such sudden grief”.

Speaking to BBC’s Good Morning Ulster, Ch Supt Donaldson said the figures are “shocking” but these are not “just statistics, every single one of those is a family that’s been affected by carnage on our roads, every single one the families are never going to be the same again… I shudder to think about the impact that it’s having on those lives”.

Mr Bradley, who is the chair of Life After, which supports families bereaved by road traffic collisions and fatalities, said his son being killed by a drunk driver has “done a lot of damage to my family”.

“After it, my wife never went out the front door, or up the stairs (in the house)… she just lost her way.”

He said he was not surprised that drivers are getting caught with drugs in their system.

“I can imagine the drugs are getting even more so than the drink because that many people take them now of all ages,” he added.

Mr Bradley said people think: “Oh I’ll be grand, it’ll never happen to me,” when drivers under the influence get behind the wheel of a car.

“It’s just crazy that people would contemplate it… knowing they have alcohol or drugs and they still do it.”

Robert was a university student and was walking home with his friend Alex Vedeer when both were struck my a car and killed.

It happened on the 16 December 2000 – just over a week before Christmas.

Mr Bradley said his son was a “character”.

“The university held a memorial. There were over a thousand people there. Students came up and talked about him – Robert was a character – he was funny.”

Mr Bradley said the last phone call Robert made was to his mum Anne.

“He called her and said: ‘Anne Bradley… this is Chris Tarrant, who wants to be a millionaire, your son Robert is here and he picked you as phone a friend,’ and Anne said: ‘The wee bugger if I don’t get this right he’ll kill me!’ and Robert said: ‘Wise up mum, it’s me!’ He was that type of person. He was just a good person.”

“You could never imagine how families feel until it comes to your own door,” he added.

Ch Supt Donaldson said: “It kind of surprises me every year that I have to communicate the same message.

“The vast majority of people do get it but there is a small nucleus of people who still think it’s okay to take drugs or take alcohol and drive.”

He added there is a “a misconception” that you can take some alcohol and still be fit to drive.

“Whilst there are legal limits, if you take any alcohol whatsoever or any drugs whatsoever whether they be prescription drugs or illegal drugs you impair your ability to drive. People are taking a lot of chances.”