Drink driver numbers down
Date: 17/01/2008 11:04:05
Drink drivers fell in number by almost a fifth during the recent Christmas and new year period, statistics have shown.
The findings, from the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo), highlight that more than 155,000 breath tests were conducted by police during December, 7,800 of which were positive.
This compares with the 9,700 caught over the limit in December 2006, with police also conducting more tests over the recent festive period than they did the year previously.
Nottinghamshire Chief Constable and Acpo head of roads policing Steve Green said that it was "encouraging" that officers had managed to test some 10,000 more drivers during the latest campaign.
Road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick commented: "This sends out a powerful message to anyone thinking of drink driving - you are in a dwindling minority and have an increasingly high chance of being caught."
Meanwhile, figures from the RAC Foundation have highlighted that 17 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds got into a vehicle with a driver who was over the legal alcohol limit during the period.