Balloon abuse whilst driving getting worse in Bradford
Drivers inhaling nitrous oxide filled balloons in Bradford, behind the wheel has worsened over the last 12 months according to a councillor
Councillor Nazam Azam (Lab, City) spoke at a Council meeting of how he had seen people driving around the city with balloons in their mouth.
And on Tuesday evening he raised the issue again – saying the abuse of nitrous oxide in Bradford had become an even bigger issue in the city in the last 12 months.
Use of the drug, which slows down brain and body responses, has risen in recent years, and gas containers are an increasingly common sight in car parks or on roadsides.
It's something the fire service across West Yorkshire has been raising awareness of too, hosting workshops across the city.
Imran Ali is the Assistant District Commander in Bradford for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, he said:
"You'll see canisters, the small silver sort of bullet canisters, or the new or larger size blue smart whip canisters, if you're walking around West Yorkshire, especially Bradford, you probably see it everywhere now, it's been dumped all over the place".
Cllr Azam said in the meeting:
“Last year I sat here and mentioned how I had seen people through car windows. Since then we’ve had half a dozen deaths.
“Young people, middle aged people, it just seems to be so blatant and right in people’s faces.
“We have to work with police as it seems to be getting worse rather than improving".