Is it true that more police are out checking for drunk drivers over the Christmas holidays?

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

Drivers are being warned that police forces across the country will be stepping up their roadside checks as part of an annual crackdown on drunk drivers.

During last year's Christmas operation, police forces in England and Wales stop more than twice as many motorists on suspicion of drink driving in December than in other months.

Police data shows officers stopped 37,067 drivers last December compared with the monthly average of 16,977, of that number 3,840 (10 per cent) were found to be over the limit or refused to provide a sample.

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.