Active traffic control by the police improves safety on the roads – fewer intoxicated drivers
The police intensified the controls they carried out in 2024, especially with regard to factors such as intoxicants, medication, medical fitness and fatigue, all of which affect driving ability. At the same time, special attention was paid to control of driving habits, as statistics and studies show that speeding and intoxicants are still key risk factors in traffic fatalities.
The control of driving while intoxicated, in particular, has been significantly stepped up. The number of breathalyser tests carried out by the police increased by more than 78,000 compared to the previous year, and at the same time, the number of intoxicated driving offences recorded by the police decreased by about 8%. This suggests that intensified control and its proactive effect have contributed to delivering results.
Studies also reflect a decrease in driving while intoxicated
In 2024, the number of incidents of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs decreased compared to the previous year. Annual surveys of driving under the influence, which examine the percentage of intoxicated people in the traffic flow, show a decrease in drunken driving. In addition, wastewater analyses carried out by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) support the downward trend, as they show a decrease in the total quantity of narcotics.
Study findings confirm that the fall in the number of incidents of driving under the influence has a direct impact on traffic accidents and their outcomes. Statistics of the Finnish Crash Data Institute (OTI) show that in 2023, just under a third (30%) of drivers who caused a fatal accident were intoxicated. The percentage of intoxicated drivers fell by 12 percentage points compared to 2022. Alcohol was the most common intoxicant and had been consumed by one in five of the drivers causing a fatal accident. This trend shows that the determined intoxicant enforcement carried out by the police delivers results.
Effective control targets the right risks
“It has earlier been suggested that the decrease in drunken driving was because driving under the influence of drugs had increased. Now the situation has been reversed and both are falling,” says Chief Superintendent Heikki Ihalainen at the National Police Board, adding that,
“Whereas the use of α-PVP in driving while under the influence of drugs is increasing slightly, amphetamines are still by far the most common narcotic substance involved in intoxicated driving incidents.”
The police will continue to carry out active and as effective traffic control as possible, aiming to target the right places at the right time. An increase in the number of breathalyser tests and a decrease in intoxicated drivers go hand in hand, and studies show that changes in driving under the influence are also reflected in traffic accidents and their seriousness.
The police aim to improve traffic safety and further reduce driving under the influence.
“Each and every road user can contribute to safe traffic by making responsible choices and by reporting any unusual behaviour they notice on the road to the police. Working together can help to ensure that roads remain safe for all road users,” Ihalainen reminds us.
