Tough approach on drink-drivers

Gwent had the largest number of drink-driving cases

A senior police officer is seeking tougher penalties for drink-drivers who flout the law after a rise in offences over Christmas.

The Gwent force in south east Wales, recorded the highest percentage of drink-drivers - tested after collisions - anywhere in Wales and England.

Police force breakdown

Dyfed-Powys 411 tests after accidents, 16 positive

South Wales 210 tests after accidents, 11 positive

Gwent Police 56 tests after accidents, 13 positive

North Wales 288 tests after accidents, 12 positive

Almost one in four drivers Gwent officers breathalysed following collisions were over the limit.

North Wales Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom said tougher penalties were needed for the "hard core" of driver who continue to flout the law.

He said he would also like to see a reduction in the legal limit, in line with that in other European countries.

"Most people are driving very responsibly and it may be that we need tougher penalties to get through to those people who insist on risking the lives of others, " he said.

"What we really need to see is a cultural change."

"We really have got to get through to people the appalling consequences of drinking and driving."

Railways chaos

Nearly 1,000 breath-tests were carried out across Wales during the Christmas and New Year period and around 50 arrests were subsequently made.

But there were more drink-driving incidents on the roads despite police and government campaigns, with the chaos on the railways being blamed in some quarters.

The figures released by the Association of Chief Police Officers reveal that nationally more than seven per cent of motorists tested positive following an accident over the Christmas holiday period.

We really have got to get through to people the appalling consequences of drinking and driving

North Wales Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom

Gwent had the largest proportion of drink-driving cases but the actual numbers show that only 13 out of 56 were over the limit.

A spokesman for Gwent Police said the force was disappointed but the same statistics show that the total number of crashes have dropped appreciably.

Elsewhere in Wales, the three other forces breath-tested many more drivers following a collision but proportionally fewer were over limit.

There were 5.2% in South Wales, 3.9% in the Dyfed-Powys area and 4.16% in the North Wales police area.

The tests - involving all those in accidents - were taken from December 18 to January 1 by every police force in England and Wales.