Drink-drivers’ festive shame

Total of 625 caught, up from 459 in Christmas period last year Increase in motorists who were caught morning after

A SENIOR police officer has branded drinkdrivers ‘an absolute disgrace’ after one in 30 of the motorists who were stopped was found to be over the limit.

During the police Christmas campaign of 2016-17, a total of 625 drivers out of 19,000 stopped by officers were over the limit, compared to 459 the previous festive season.

There was also an increase in the number caught ‘the morning after the night before’ – with drink remaining in their systems from the previous evening’s indulgences.

The number with blood alcohol levels between the old and new drink-drive limits also increased from last year, the first in which the new, lower limit was in place.

Yesterday, Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins described drink-drivers as ‘reckless’, while Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said the figures were ‘disappointing’.

Mr Higgins said: ‘It is an absolute disgrace that so many people were prepared to risk their own lives, as well as the lives of innocent people, by recklessly taking to the roads while in a drunken state.

‘We were massively active over the festive season and while the number of tests we carried out was greater than last year, proportionately the number of people caught, particularly those the following morning, was greater still.

‘Drivers need to take far greater personal responsibility. I repeat the guidance given at the start of the campaign – don’t risk it, because, as these 625 people have found to their cost, we will detect and arrest you.’

Police Scotland’s Christmas enforcement campaign, which ran from December 2 to Januthe ary 2, saw an average of 610 drivers tested every day, a 15 per cent rise on the number of checks carried out the year before.

Of almost 19,000 drivers stopped during the 2016-17 festive period campaign, a total of 625 – or one in 30 – were over the limit. This compares with one in 36 during the same period in 2015-16, a rise from 2.8 to 3.3 per cent.

Of the 625 detected, 46 were caught in the morning having been drinking the night before, up from 13 in 2015-16.

In 2014, Scotland’s drinkdriving limit was reduced from 80 milligrams of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood to 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres.

The latest statistics show more than 9 per cent of those caught drink-driving over the festive period tested between the old and new limits, up on 4 per cent the previous year.

Mr Matheson said: ‘It is hugely disappointing to see a rise in the number of drivers who have flouted the law and put their lives, and the lives of others, at risk over the festive period.

‘People should be enjoying time with their loved ones over Christmas and New Year but this isn’t an excuse to ignore law and get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.’

Police Scotland Chief Constable Phil Gormley was asked about the issue yesterday during an interview on a Clyde 2 radio talk show.

He said: ‘Drink and drugs are a major contributory factor – so are distractions, of which mobile phones are the principal one – to road traffic collisions, and reducing harm on the roads is a priority for Police Scotland.

‘Enforcement alone is not the answer – people have to take responsibility for themselves.

‘I can’t have officers on every street corner, I wish I could, dealing with every infraction.

‘But reducing death and injury on the road is right up there as one of the most important things we do.’

Mr Gormley said decisions on legal drink-drive limits were ‘a legislative issue’.

He added: ‘I am supportive of the reduction in the overall limit because I have seen first-hand the absolute avoidable tragedy of death and serious injury [caused by drinkdriving].’

The alcohol limit for drivers in Scotland is different from that in place in the rest of the United Kingdom.

In December 2014 the limit was reduced from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol in every 100 millilitres of blood.

The breath alcohol equivalent reduced from 35 to 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.

‘We will detect and arrest you’ ‘It is hugely disappointing’