Hogmanay partygoers urged not to drink and drive
Scotland's Justice Secretary has urged people to drink responsibly and plan ahead at Hogmanay.
Scotland's Justice Secretary has urged people to drink responsibly and plan ahead at Hogmanay.
Michael Matheson said he wanted partygoers to have a night to remember for all the right reasons''.
He said: Plan your journey home ahead of time. Use public transport or get a designated driver but whatever you do - don't drink and drive.
It is also important to remember that after a night of drinking you could still be over the legal limit and not fit to drive the next day.''
Michael McDonnell, director of Road Safety Scotland, added: Everyone should enjoy the party season but, if you plan to have even one drink, leave the car at home.
The chance of being in a fatal collision increases significantly where alcohol and driving is concerned, so don't risk it.''
Chief Superintendent Andy Edmonston, head of road policing at Police Scotland, said: Police stop around 20,000 drivers a month in Scotland; that's one vehicle on average every two minutes.
We will be increasing our enforcement throughout the festive period to discourage anyone thinking about drinking and driving, so the best advice is if you are planning to drink this New Year, don't drive.''