Drivers are being warned their chances of being breathalysed will double heading into the festive period.
In December 2021, police forces across England and Wales stopped 37,067 motorists on suspicion of drink driving – more than twice the average for the other months of the year (16,977).
Forces are now stepping up their campaigns again this year, targeting anyone tempted to drive under the influence after watching the World Cup or celebrating Christmas.
A total of 3,840 drivers tested positive (or refused to provide a sample) last December, a failure rate of more than 10%.
Hunter Abbott, managing director of AlcoSense, said: “Watching an evening World Cup game, whether at home with family or down the pub, increases the likelihood of driving the next morning with alcohol still in your system.
“If you drink four pints of medium-strong beer or four large glasses of wine whilst enjoying the football, it could take as long as 14 hours for the alcohol to clear your system.
“The rule is simple. If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive and if you’re driving, don’t drink. If in any doubt, self-test with a personal breathalyser to ensure you’re clear of alcohol before getting behind the wheel. One in five drink drive convictions are in the morning.”
Analysis of Home Office data, carried out by AlcoSense, shows there were however ‘huge variations’ around the country.
In Durham, 2,567 motorists were breath tested in December 2021, whereas in Lincolnshire it was just 23.
There were also big discrepancies in the percentage of motorists failing their breath test.
In Cleveland, the area with the third highest number of tests (1,878), the failure rate was just 3%.
But in West Yorkshire, where 523 tests were conducted, 29% were over the limit.
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