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Tuesday, 6 August, 2002, 05:38 GMT 06:38 UK
Summer blitz on drink-drivers
police breath-test
Holidaymakers are warned not to drink and drive
All four Welsh police forces are launching a summer clampdown on drink-drivers.

From Tuesday, they will be stepping up patrols, as summer activities like barbecues and picnics increase the temptation to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

Legal limits
35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath
80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood
107 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine

Last year, the number of people who tested positive in the summer was double that in the Christmas campaign.

The Welsh forces say that, while they enforce the drink-drive laws all year round, they will be significantly stepping up patrols for the remainder of the summer.

Officers say an additional concern is that holidaymakers may be driving home after drinking alcohol on planes or ferries - putting themselves and other road users at risk.

Georgina Christopher from Efail Isaf near Llantrisant, south Wales, was badly injured in a head-on collision nearly four years ago.

Police were told the driver of the other car had been seen drinking from 0600 to 2300 BST.

Scarred memory

"It's not something you forget," Ms Christopher said.

"You always remember it, because you're trying to cover the scar on your face - it's always there."

Figures for last year show that almost twice as many people tested positive in the summer months as during the Christmas campaign.

Police hope this clampdown will soon have as high a profile and help cut the number of drink drivers all year round.

Steering wheel
Summer brings new temptations to drink and drive

Last Christmas, drink-driving saw its sharpest increase for five years, despite widespread government advertising campaigns.

Out of more than 15,000 drivers breath-tested after accidents 8% were over the limit - an increase of almost 1% on the previous year festive season.

The rise was blamed on persistent drink-drive offenders and a new breed of young motorists with no comprehension of the dangers of alcohol and driving.

Ministers are already considering giving police extra powers to deal with the hard core of persistent drink-drivers.

Drugs and driving

These would include being able to stop drivers without a reason if they suspect they have been drinking.

The Welsh forces' annual summer blitz comes just a few days after shocking figures were released about drivers using drugs.

Statistics from the RAC Foundation revealed that more than half the drivers killed in road accidents in one police force area this year had illegal drugs in their system.

The samples from Durham Police suggest that in 50% of fatalities the victims had traces of either cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy or another prescription drug.

The RAC said the figures were "shocking" and they showed many drivers were ignorant of the dangers of drug driving.

 WATCH/LISTEN
 ON THIS STORY
BBC Wales' Claire Summers
"Giving into temptation when driving will lead to tragedy"
See also:

02 Aug 02 | Scotland
03 Aug 00 | UK
04 Jul 01 | N Ireland
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