More than 750 motorists failed or refused breath tests during Scotland's festive anti-drink drive campaign, figures show.

The number of people who refused to take a breath test increased along with collisions in which alcohol was a contributory factor.

On the whole the figures are lower than last year - but the campaign was over a shorter period. This season's crackdown ran from 10 December until 6 January.

The chairman of the Scottish Chief Police Officers Traffic Committee, William Spence, said he was disappointed that so many people continued to ignore the message that drinking and driving do not mix.

In Strathclyde, the number of drink-drive incidents dropped by about 18% compared with last year.

During the four-week campaign a total of 5,253 drivers and passengers were found to be travelling without wearing seat-belts and 3342 drivers were caught speeding.

'Thoughtless individuals'

Chief Superintendent Jim Gilmour said: "Although we welcome any decrease there still remains a number of thoughtless individuals who are willing to endanger not only their own lives but that of others".

He added: "During the campaign, while no-one was killed through drink-driving, there were a number of occasions when this would appear to have been more through sheer luck than anything else."

The police have now decided to renew their call for the government to reduce the legal limit for the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream.

The Association of Chief Police Officers has also called for officers to be given a new power to stop "hardcore" offenders.

The police currently need evidence of a collision, a traffic offence while the car is moving or suspect a motorist is under the influence before they can stop a vehicle.

Nine people a week die on the roads in the UK as a result of drink-driving.

Television campaign

This year's road safety campaign was spearheaded by a TV commercial showing real prisoners describing what it feels like to be responsible for a drink-drive death.

In one incident, a man who was more than twice over the limit ignored police warning signs and drove his young family through the scene of a fatal road accident in Glasgow.

Transport Minister Sarah Boyack said: "I am disappointed and saddened by the rise in the number of drink-related road accidents over the festive season.

"The consequences of drinking and driving can be disastrous, not only for the driver, but also for innocent victims and their families."