ONE of North Yorkshire’s top police officers has hit out at the high number of drink-drivers in the UK.

A recent week-long campaign by TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, found the UK has one of the worst drink-drive rates in Europe – despite having the highest legal limit for alcohol at the wheel.

Adam Briggs, deputy chief constable of North Yorkshire police and president of TISPOL, has called for an increase in efforts to reduce the levels of drink-drivers.

He said: “Each year, around 3,000 lives are lost on the roads of the United Kingdom and drink-driving is one of the principal causes being a factor in about 20 per cent of cases. Along with partner agencies, we are determined to find a way forward to reduce this unacceptable level of hardcore drink drivers and to make the roads safer for everyone. There are a number of possibilities, including reducing the legal limit, the introduction of random roadside testing, increasing the penalties or continuing to improve education.

“Whatever is done, it will be more effective if it is done with the support of the public, and I would urge any member of the public wanting to inform the police about a suspected drink driver to phone Crimestoppers on 088 555 111.”

A recent week-long campaign by TISPOL saw police in 18 countries carry out more than 850,000 roadside drink drive tests – the largest number of checks ever carried out during such an event.

In the UK, 13,842 drivers were stopped and checked for alcohol and 849 found to be over the limit. At six per cent, this was the highest rate of offending anywhere in Europe, bar Switzerland and the Republic of Moldova. In Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland fewer than one per cent of drivers tested were found to be over the limit. In Germany, the figure was 1.2 per cent and in France 2.2 per cent.