Drink driving Christmas crackdown

PARTY-GOERS in Dumfries and Galloway are being urged to plan a safe journey home, after a record number of breath and roadside drug tests were carried out last year. Between December 1 2024 and January 19 2025, police carried out a record 5,742 breath and roadside drug tests1 across Scotland, recording 961 offences. A new campaign from the Scottish Government is warning drivers to leave the car at home and plan a safe way home in advance by using public transport, booking a taxi, or arranging a lift with a trusted designated driver. Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Angela Constance and Chief Superintendent Scott McCarren, Police Scotland’s Head of Road Policing, told drivers to think twice before getting behind the wheel. Ms Constance said: "Every year, too many people lose their lives or suffer horrific injuries because of a reckless decision to get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of drink or drugs. A split second’s mistake can have lifelong consequences, not just for you but for your passengers, other road users and the families whose lives have been affected." The festive drink and drug-driving crackdown also aims to highlight the increase in drug-driving offences being recorded as Police Scotland ramps up enforcement efforts. Drugs can stay in your system for hours, even days, after consumption, and would still be detected by a simple roadside drug test. Chief Superintendent McCarren added: “It’s easy to catch drink and drug drivers and we can carry out immediate roadside testing. This festive season, keep yourself and others safe by planning your journey home in advance and avoiding alcohol and drugs completely if you’re getting behind the wheel.”