More than half of them had an illegal alcohol level equivalent to 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, Poland’s National Police Headquarters said.
Radosław Kobryś, from the police HQ road traffic office, said: “Over 12 days in January we have detained 2,651 intoxicated drivers. This is a record, up over 14 percent compared to the same period last year.”
Recent years had seen a downward trend in drink driving, police said.
But last year driving under the influence increased. According to police officers and experts, this is largely the result of higher alcohol consumption.
Kobryś said: “The supply [of alcohol] has increased, so the probability of meeting a drunk driver has risen as well.”
He added: “The availability of alcohol, the fact that [miniature 250 ml bottles of strong alcohol] are available everywhere, has results.”
Last year the Rzeczpospolita daily reported that Poles buy 3 million such small bottles a day, a million of them before noon.
(aba/pk)
Source: Rzeczpospolita