Drink driving convictions rise for first time in a decade

The figures indicate that 3,646 people were convicted of driving while under the influence of alcohol in 2016-17, an increase of three per cent on 2015-16’s figure of 3,537.

The Scottish government decreased the drink-driving limit to 50mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, which gave Scotland the strictest limit in the UK – in England and Wales and Northern Ireland the limit is 80mg per 100ml.

SNP MSP David Torrance said cutting the limit had proved effective.

He said: “The SNP’S tough action on drink-driving has led to a substantial fall in offences since the legal limit was lowered in 2014. Everybody knows driving under the influence is against the law and public attitudes to drink-driving have changed dramatically over the last few decades.”