Held in June in 30 countries, the operation saw police conduct 869,473 roadside breath tests for alcohol, of which 14,557 were positive. Motorists were also checked for drugs in the operation, and 1,789 offences were detected.  

TISPOL president Koen Ricour said: ‘Drink-driving remains one of the top three killers on Europe’s roads. That’s why vigorous enforcement of drink-driving laws is vital. Our focus is also on drivers who have been taking drugs – both medicinal and illicit – and who will fail to acknowledge the greatly increased risks they face and pose to other road users. Many medicinal drugs can cause drowsiness and therefore impair driving, so it is very important that drivers taking medication should read the warnings or check with their healthcare professional.’

Police offers also used the opportunity to make other appropriate safety and security checks. This included detecting and dealing with offences connected with irregular immigration (115), possession of drugs (348), firearms (55) and stolen goods (86), as well as 1,153 other crimes.