Drink-drive numbers fall after Scottish limit reduced

The number of drink-driving offences in Scotland has fallen since the legal limit was lowered a year ago.

Police figures show offending in the nine months after December 2014 fell by 12.5% compared with the same period the previous year.

The total number of offences over this period dropped from 4,208 to 3,682, Police Scotland data revealed.

Meanwhile, a survey has suggested that 82% of Scots believe that drinking any alcohol before driving is unacceptable.

The poll was commissioned by the Scottish government and Transport Scotland.

Only one in 20 respondents said they would drive themselves home after they had been drinking on a night out,

More than two thirds ( 67%) said they would not consider driving the morning after drinking.

'Right direction'

Last December the Scottish government reduced the legal alcohol limit for driving from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood.

The limit in England and Wales remains at 80mg.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: "Since the Scottish government lowered the drink-drive limit last December, all the statistics are going in the right direction - fewer people are being caught, but more importantly there's a shift in attitudes to even having one drink and driving, and indeed driving the next day after drinking.

"But while these figures show that positive steps are being taken to change attitudes towards drink-driving, it is concerning that there is still a minority who would risk the safety of other road users, and themselves, by getting behind the wheel after drinking.

"That is why I welcome the police action being taken to tackle reckless road users who continue to flout the law. Collectively, we are sending out a strong message when it comes to drink-driving and our advice is simple - just don't risk it."

Speaking ahead of this weekend's launch of Police Scotland's festive campaign against drink driving, Supt Fraser Candlish said: "Police stop around 20,000 drivers a month in Scotland - that's one vehicle on average every two minutes.

"We will be increasing our enforcement throughout the festive period to discourage anyone thinking about drinking and driving, so the best advice is if you are planning to drink this Christmas, don't drive."