So says the Association of Chief Police Of Officers (ACPO) which says that police officers are out in full force as the Christmas campaign to target drink and drug-driving starts.

Last December saw police in England and Wales breathalyse almost 176,000 people on suspicion of drink or drug driving – 26,544 of whom were tested following a collision. Of those breath-tested following a collision, 7.39% tested positive, refused to give a sample or failed to provide an adequate sample. Of those tested who had not been involved in a crash, 3.36% gave positive results, refused to comply or failed to give an adequate sample.

Chief constable Suzette Davenport, national policing lead on roads policing, said: ‘Those who think they are fit to take the risk of driving while intoxicated are amongst the most selfish in our society – they spare no thought for themselves and, even more gravely, they spare no thought for the lives that they are capable of irreparably destroying in the blink of an eye.

‘I am encouraging forces to put a face to the names of those who would so recklessly endanger lives by, where possible, releasing the photos of those convicted of drink and drug-driving.

‘It’s important we do all we can to deter people from making the choice to drink or drug-drive and pursue them to the extent of the law if they do.’

ACPO will be tweeting throughout the month including myth-busting messages correcting some of the common misconceptions about alcohol, such as wrongly assuming coffee, sleep or a cold shower can help sober you up quickly.

CC Davenport added: ‘The answer is a simple one. If you know you have to drive, don’t drink. And if the thought of going out and not drinking is just too much to bear, don’t drive.’