Drink-driving message hits home

Motorists in the county appear to have taken heed of the change in the drink-driving limit this festive season.

According to police, only two drivers were found to be over the limit during the annual festive drink-driving campaign.

On November 18, the Scottish Parliament unanimously voted to lower the legal alcohol limit for driving from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood. The new limit then came into force on December 5.

Sergeant Kenny Walker, at Kirkwall Police Station, said today: “We are very pleased with the results. Up until December 5,  when we took a breath test it would be a pass or a fail. We can now take a reading from each test that indicates what level of alcohol is in a driver’s bloodstream.

“Of the 90 breath tests carried out, the majority showed zero readings. This shows that, whereas before drivers might have one drink, people are not drinking at all before driving.

“That is a very, very positive result for us.”