Breathalyser tests to be conducted over New Year's Eve

The police force will be out on the roads tonight checking that drivers are safe on the road, driving within the speed limit, wearing seatbelts, not using a mobile phone while driving, and not driving under the influence of alcohol.

Assistant police commissioner Josie Brincat has told MaltaToday that police officers' presence on the streets will not mean they are “after anyone’s pound of flesh”. "We are only there to ensure everyone has a safe New Year."

Brincat said that although the campaign has been to clamp down on drink-driving over the festive season, road safety was a year-round priority.

Although police officers can instruct motorists to test alcohol levels on a breathalyser only under "reasonable suspicion" of drinking and driving, the police may still stop anyone to check identification and registration details. If the driver then displays symptoms of drinking, a breathalyser test can then be conducted.

Over Christmas Eve, 400 drivers were stopped in roadblocks but only 14 were administered breathalyser tests with nine drivers found to be over the legal limit of alcohol, which means they will now face criminal charges.

The clampdown on drink-driving may have contributed to the fact that there were no road accidents relating to drink driving over the Christmas period.

First time offenders will receive a fine of €1,200 with a possible jail sentence of up to three months and a suspension of their driving licence, while second time offenders will receive a fine of €2,300 and a possible jail sentence of six months along with withdrawal of their driving licence.