A new report has been published by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) that has highlighted the extent to which drink-driving was witnessed across the UK in the recent festive period.
It showed that levels of this dangerous activity were similar to those seen in recent years during 2012, with 7,123 drivers arrested last month for this offence across the country.
However, with the number of roadside breath tests increasing – 175,000 in 2012, compared to 157,000 in the previous year – the ACPO concluded the message that drink-driving will not be tolerated appears to be getting through.
Responding to the results, road safety charity Brake claimed more still needs to be done to ensure drink-driving is stamped out completely in the UK, as this offence is a dangerous menace for all members of the public.
Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive at Brake, said: "The police do an incredible job taking these risky drivers off our roads and deterring would-be offenders from taking chances with people's lives.
"This work results in fewer people needlessly losing lives or suffering appalling injuries, and fewer families dealing with the terrible aftermath of a crash."
She added that drivers are now being urged to make a new year's resolution to be safer on the roads in 2013 – this means pledging not to touch a drop of alcohol if they plan to get behind the wheel of a vehicle over the coming months.
The news follows recent calls from GEM Motoring Assist for a reduction in the alcohol limit in the UK from 80mg/100ml of blood alcohol to just 50mg/100ml.
First proposed for Scottish motorists, the initiative is already gaining sympathetic support and could provide a major boost to road safety across the whole of the UK if the plans are put into action, the organisation stated.
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Posted by Jack Smith
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