Dozens caught driving after drinking at Xmas

A total of 46 people were caught in the region between December 2 and January 2 — a rate of three people every two days.

Overall, there was an increase in drivers caught across the country compared with last year.

Nationwide, police stopped almost 19,000 drivers during the four-week campaign. Of those, 625 — or one in 30 — were found to be over the limit.

That’s an increase from the one in 36 caught drink-driving during the same period last year.

More than 9% tested between the old and new limits, up 4% from 2015-16.

The drink-drive limit was lowered in Scotland, from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood, in December 2014.

Holyrood figures also show that of the 625 drivers caught, 46 were detected the morning after drinking they are under the limit but in many cases it’s just people flouting the law and that’s unacceptable. “Hopefully, these figures do show that a lot of people have been detected for these crimes, sending out a message that if you try and dink-drive the police will catch you.” Inspector Ray Cuthill, Divisional Road Policing Inspector for Tayside, said drivers should avoid drink altogether. He said: “Any amount of alcohol affects your ability to drive, so my advice would be not to drink any alcohol at all. “While being detected drink-driving might result in a fine and disqualification, it is worth remembering that you greatly increase your chances of being involved in a collision. “Either yourself or a member of the public could be killed or seriously injured. In that instance, there is a very real possibility that — should you survive — you might well receive a custodial sentence. “I hope that is a sobering thought for all drivers.” Councillor Alan Ross

MORE than one person a day was caught drinkdriving in Tayside over the festive period, according to the Scottish Government.