Nearly a hundred persons suspected of driving while intoxicated were caught in pre-Christmas party traffic during an intensified surveillance campaign by the police throughout Finland on 24-26 November. During the weekend, the police breathalysed a total of 24,191 drivers and carried out 101 rapid roadside drug tests.
Of the 99 drivers caught by the police in pre-Christmas party traffic, 73 were suspected of having consumed alcohol and 26 of having used some other narcotic substance. Besides these, 143 drivers of motorised vehicles gave a positive breathalyser test but were below the punishable limit (0.5 per mille). The police imposed a temporary driving ban on 39 holders of a driving licence.
Each intoxicated driver is one too many
Each intoxicated driver on the roads is one too many. Nevertheless, positive progress has been made compared to the numbers from a similar campaign last year.
“This year an average of 244 breathalyser tests were carried out to catch one drink driver compared to “just” 187 in 2022,” says Chief Superintendent Tuomo Katajisto at the National Police Board.
According to Katajisto, one negative note is that even this time there were still far too many drivers who were unable to resist getting behind the steering wheel after having consumed intoxicants.
