THERE HAS been a 20% increase in the number of motorists caught drink- driving, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland said yesterday.

The first week of their summer crackdown saw 131 drivers—including 11 in Fife and 14 in Tayside—charged for being over the limit or under the influence of drugs, compared to 109 during the same period last year.

In Tayside, 11 of those caught were men and three were women. In Fife, 10 were male and one was female.

Chief superintendent Mick McCormick, from ACPOS’s road policing unit, said, “It seems like some drivers are still not heeding the message.

“Despite the high number of tests conducted, it is disheartening to see that more drivers are showing positive or refusing the requirement to give a breath test.”

During the campaign’s first week, 131 drivers of the 2508 tested were found to be over the limit or refused a breath test altogether.

Police across Scotland did, however, record a fall in the number of collisions, both with and without injuries.

There were just 258 collisions where there were no injuries, compared to 563 last year—a drop of more than 50%.

Collisions that did result in injuries were down by nearly 60%, from 168 in 2006 to 72 this year.

Mr McCormick said proportionately, drivers under the age of 25 were more likely to be involved in traffic offences or to drive under the influence of drink or drugs.

“Unfortunately, we still see a higher proportion of drivers under 25 involved in moving traffic offences as well as driving while impaired through drugs,” he said.

He added police were testing all drivers who were involved in road traffic accidents or who were stopped in relation to moving traffic offences as well as those whose driving was obviously impaired.