99 drunk drivers and four people under the influence of drugs were caught by the State Police over Christmas. Latvian Television joined a raid in Rīga on December 26.
Note: The number as of December 26 afternoon was updated on December 27.
During the festive period, the police are working in a reinforced mode. Also on Christmas Day, law enforcement officers are on the roads checking that drivers are sober. December 26 morning started early, with every passer-by being checked on the Eastern Bypass in Rīga.
“This is the first time for me, being behind the wheel myself! I got my licence a year ago. I haven’t used anything, so there’s no worry. Maybe those who did it yesterday are worried,” says Ralfs.
Driver Marina is happy with the work of the police. “Cool, it’s good, you must check! I’m totally against drunk drivers. You should think what you are doing. It’s not just your health, it’s also the health of the people around you. You always have to think about life and safety,” says Marina.
Police officers wish a happy holiday to every driver this time – no one was caught drunk-driving during the check with Latvian Television.
“Today is relatively very calm for these crews. About 400 drivers were checked. Fortunately, no one got behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol, but if we compare yesterday’s checks, where a total of 7,000 drivers were checked, then over 20 drivers were caught under the influence of alcohol,” said Gatis Anisimovs, Junior Inspector of Division 2 of the Response Bureau of the Riga Regional Directorate of the State Police.
Overall, the statistics this holiday season are quite stark – from December 20 to December 26, 85 drunk drivers were caught and four drivers were behind the wheel under the influence of drugs. Last year, police caught 52 drunk drivers between December 24 and 26.
The State Police will continue to check drivers under a reinforced regime for another week – until January 2.
Drivers with high levels of alcohol – over 1.5 ppm – are the most frequently caught.
Looking at age groups, drivers aged between 31 and 50 years were the most likely to be under the influence of prohibited substances, followed by drivers aged over 50 years and drivers aged under 30 years.
Altogether between December 20 and 27, over 32,000 drivers were checked by the police.
The police urge all road users to be responsible and protect themselves and others from the consequences of reckless behavior. The attitude of fellow people can play a decisive role in preventing accidents, so please do not remain indifferent and report cases where someone attempts to drive under the influence.
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