Police forces across the UK have launched their annual crackdowns on drink- and drug-driving for the festive season.

Nearly one in four drivers were found to be over the limit in Police Scotland’s 2022 winter campaign

In England and Wales, the ‘Operation Limit’ national policing operation is now underway and will see forces increase their presence on the roads in the lead-up to Christmas and the new year to target and catch offenders.

Police Scotland have also geared up their annual festive crackdown. Last year, police forces in Scotland carried out 3,049 roadside tests in December – with 722 drivers detected for drink or drug offences. That’s a failure rate of 24%, which means that nearly one in four drivers were found to be over the limit.

The Scottish drink-drive limit was lowered in December 2014 from 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood (0.80‰ BAC) to 50mg (0.50‰ BAC).

The Police Service of Northern Ireland has also launched its anti-drink and drug drive operation, warning drivers that just one drink could kill and ruin lives.

Chief Superintendent Sam Donaldson, Operational Support Department, said: “Over the coming weeks targeted operations will run day and night across the country, and we will coordinate road safety operations in border counties with colleagues from An Garda Síochána Traffic Corp.

“If convicted you will face the prospect of starting the new year with a court appearance and losing your driving licence. This can have a huge impact on your life and that of your family.”

Many local police forces are also running their own campaigns in tandem with the national focus. This includes Sussex Police, which stopped and checked thousands of motorists in its 2022 crackdown.

Superintendent Rachel Glenton, head of Surrey and Sussex roads policing unit, said: “Our officers will be joined by officers from across the force to carry out increased patrols and stop checks on the road networks.

“This is in addition to our existing patrols which we carry out 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

“Through education, engagement, and enforcement, we aim to reduce the devastating impact of drink- and drug-driving.”

The Government has also relaunched its Mates for Life campaign. Research by Think!, the official road safety campaign, shows that eight in 10 young men agree it is unacceptable to drive over the legal limit and note personal responsibility to intervene, but almost a third say they would feel uncomfortable asking a friend not to drink when they were driving.

The Mates for Life campaign empowers friends to intervene if the moment arises with the message ‘A mate doesn’t let a mate drink-drive’.

In keeping with this, Sussex Police is continuing to urge people to heed three steps to help tackle drink- and drug-driving. This includes preventing drink-driving in the first place by walking home from a venue, pre-booking a taxi, or having a designated driver. If a friend or family member hasn’t taken these steps, the public are asked to do all they can to persuade that person not to drive. And finally, if this doesn’t work, they’re urged to report a drink- or drug-driver to the police, potentially saving the driver from being involved in a tragic collision.

Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner, who also is the roads policing lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “Drink-driving destroys lives, but tragically every day reckless drivers get behind the wheel and put themselves and others at risk.

“People who consume alcohol or drugs and then drive need to be stopped. Our campaign aims to save lives by deterring people from drink- and drug-driving, and to deal robustly with offenders.

“That’s why we are calling on the public and friends of drink drivers to prevent and persuade them from getting behind the wheel, but if they do, then report them to the police.”

Drinks brand Diageo is also working to support the UK crackdowns; it’s launched a new initiative that allows designated drivers to claim a free pint of Guinness 0.0 at participating Greene King pubs across the UK up to 1 January 2024.

Motorists call for tougher drink-drive limits

Over half of respondents (56%) were ‘strongly’ in favour of tougher penalties for drink-driving

More than four in five motorists think the Government should bring in tougher penalties for drink-driving to stop people getting behind the wheel whilst under the influence.

In a new survey, over half of respondents (56%) were ‘strongly’ in favour and 27% agreed ‘somewhat’. Only 5% disagreed.

Road safety professionals believe the drink-drive limit in England and Wales – the highest in Europe – should be lowered, whilst the Government says it wants better enforcement of the existing law.

Over half the motorists polled (57%) think both measures should be introduced, with a further 23% favouring better enforcement and another 11% saying lower the limit.

“Adding those responses together, more than 90% want the Government to take action on tackling drink-driving,” said Hunter Abbott, MD of breathalyser firm AlcoSense, who commissioned the poll.

“Only 4% said drink-driving doesn’t need to be addressed.

“In 2021, there were 260 deaths on Britain’s roads where a motorist was over the legal limit – the highest since 2009. Drunk drivers account for nearly a fifth of all road fatalities”.

Research shows that if you drive with an alcohol level of 80mg per 100mL of blood (the English/Welsh limit) you are 13 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than when sober. At 50mg (the Scottish limit) this decreases to five times more likely.

When given this information, 69% of motorists called for a reduction in the English/Welsh limit. Over a quarter (27%) said it should be reduced to the Scottish level, with another quarter (26%) thinking it should be cut to zero. A further sixth (16%) thought it should be somewhere in between.

In countries such as Poland, Sweden and Norway the legal limit is just 20mg.

Only 15% said England and Wales should remain at 80mg.

“With Christmas festivities approaching, drink-drive campaigns including advertising are not effective on their own. Over half of motorists told us they make no difference to their attitude towards drinking and driving,” added Abbott, who is a member of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).

“The AlcoSense survey makes clear that people want tougher legislation and robust enforcement to drive down the number of alcohol-related accidents.”