Drivers who are still under the influence the morning after the night before are to be targeted in a drink-drive crackdown by police.

All eight Scottish forces are taking part in the 72-hour initiative which was being launched on Friday.

In particular they will be targeting motorists between the ages of 17 and 25.

This short focused approach has been very successful in the past

Assistant Chief Constable Ricky Gray

It takes an average of one hour for each unit of alcohol consumed by a drinker to get out of his or her system.

However, such calculations are an inexact science.

Scotland's police forces are concerned that many people are getting behind the wheel in the morning when may still be over the limit after a drinking session the previous evening.

Research has suggested that more must be done to raise the drink-driving issue throughout the year and dispel the perception that police only target the issue over the festive period.

Officers across the country will be involved in the education and enforcement initiative.

They will be targeting locations where large volumes of traffic are expected - particularly roads near industrial estates, construction sites and other areas where people travel to work by car.

The campaign will last 72 hours

In particular, they will be focussing on young motorists, who they say are still responsible for a disproportionate number of drink drive offences.

A similar campaign at Christmas detected 412 drivers above the legal drink limit.

Assistant Chief Constable Ricky Gray, secretary of the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) road policing standing committee, said he was concerned that people even considered drinking and driving.

He said: "The campaign aims to highlight the dangers of driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and deter drivers from using their vehicle when another method of transport would provide a safer, more responsible option.

"This short focused approach has been very successful in the past, particularly as it is commonly perceived that drink-driving is solely targeted during the festive period."