ACPO roads policing lead, Deputy Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, said: ‘It is an absolute scourge on our society and shameful that in 2012 some drivers fail to realise the impact of drink or drug driving.’

‘There are some drivers who think they are obeying the law but are in fact breaking it by getting into their cars the morning after a night of drinking.

‘People may be surprised to hear that last year between the hours of 6am and 11am more than 400 people failed breath tests (or refused to provide a specimen), which is more than those caught for the hour before or after midnight.

‘Drivers need to be aware that regardless of whether they are going to work, they will face the same penalties as someone who has chosen to drink heavily in a pub and driven at night.’

As a result, ACPO’s enforcement campaign – running throughout December – will target well-intentioned drivers who do not think they are breaking the law but may be over the legal limit by the time they get into their cars in the morning.