A total of 1,426 people have been arrested by police on suspicion of drink driving or being behind the wheel under the influence of drugs.
The PSNI has released the figures as it launches its summer anti-drink driving campaign.
It comes as a suspected drink driver was arrested by police after allegedly travelling at 120mph on a motorway. The PSNI Road Policing Unit posted on social media that it detected a ‘drunk driver’ driving at high speeds on the M1.
The officer said the suspect had been taken into custody.
In relation to the figures, Chief Inspector Diane Pennington explained that while road safety remains a daily priority, over the coming fortnight, all police officers across Northern Ireland and the UK will be focussing on preventing and detecting drink driving.
“Already this year, despite our repeated warnings, we have arrested 1,426 people for drink/drug driving. Each of these people will soon discover to their cost, everyday tasks they’d taken for granted may become much more difficult as a result of losing their driving license,” she said.
And she said if you take the risk of driving after drinking, you can expect to be detected by police.
“You can expect to be prosecuted and lose your driving license. If you cause a collision in which someone is killed or seriously injured, you can expect a custodial sentence.
“Any driver or motorcyclist stopped by police, whether for speeding, using a mobile phone, or committing any moving traffic offence can expect to be breathalysed. So too can anyone involved in a collision or who we suspect may have consumed alcohol or taken drugs,” she said.
She said police will also be making use of legislation first introduced in November 2016, which gives powers to carry out breath tests at authorised vehicle checkpoints at key times of the day and night.
“We all share the roads, so we all share the responsibility for road safety. Slow down. Never drive after drinking or taking drugs. Pay greater attention to your surroundings, and always wear your seatbelt. If everyone follows this advice, then together we can save lives on our roads,” she added.