IS IT true that more police are out checking for drink drivers over the Christmas holidays?

In short, yes - the police have continued with their December crackdown on drink driving. 

This year there will be extra checkpoints across the UK, requiring motorists to undergo breath and drug testing.

During last year's Christmas operation, police data shows that 3,231 people failed a breath test or refused to give a sample over just a fortnight, while 1,175 failed a roadside drug test.

Crackdown on drink and drug driving

The alcohol limit for England, Wales and Northern Ireland is the highest in Europe at 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.

Drivers in Scotland are allowed just 22 micrograms of breath for the same reading - so even one drink could get you over the limit.

There is no hard and fast rule on how much alcohol you can consume and legally drive - the best rule of thumb is to not drink at all if you are going to drive.

Of all driver and rider fatalities recorded in 2018, 19 per-cent were caused by drink drivers, the latest government statistics show.

Research by road safety charity Brake found that more than 5,000 motorists have been caught drink-driving on two or more occasions in the past four years.

Driving or attempting to drive while above the legal limit or unfit through drink could land you six months in prison, an unlimited fine and a driving ban.

If you’re found guilty of drink-driving, you could face up to six months imprisonment, an unlimited fine, and a driving ban of at least one year.