The National Mobile Police Service (UP) stop a record number of intoxicated drivers

Illustration.Photo.The Norwegian Traffic Police (UP).Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB scanpix

Never before have the Mobile Police in northern Norway stopped so many over the limit drivers as in 2016.

Statistics show that through week 50, there were 276 motorists stopped and found to be intoxicated by the police. The year before, the figure was 173, reported NRK news.

‘We see that driving over the speed limit, and substance abuse, many times in combination, are major causes of accidents. Also the more serious accidents, resulting in death. Therefore, this is something we focus on. We have seen a slight increase in all areas, with the exception of intoxication; in that, we have seen a significant increase’, said district manager, Geir Harald Marthinsen, of UP in northern Norway.

He believes the increase is not because there are more intoxicated drivers, but that the police are working smarter, and so catching more of them.

Both regionally and nationally, drink-driving is a priority area. New patrols, and new instruments, help in the initiative. A new instrument only needs a saliva sample to provide an indication that either confirms or disproves suspicions of an illegal blood alcohol content.

‘New technology has been decisive in very many of these cases. We are able to detect drivers who are intoxicated with cocaine, amphetamine, opiates, cannabis and so on’, said Marthinsen.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today