THE first arrests have been made as Scotland's hardline new drink driving laws came into force.

Four people were collared between midnight and 6am, while Glasgow's first arrest was made at 8.30am yesterday.

One of Scotland's top cops branded anyone who drinks and drives as having a "complete and utter disregard for the safety of others".

Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins was supervising a stop and question operation on Glasgow's South Side yesterday.

A 48-year-man was the first in Glasgow to be arrested under the new laws during the operation in Cathcart Road.

Dozens of police pulled over motorists to warn them of the new legislation and give breath tests.

The tough new drink driving laws came into effect at midnight, making the legal drink-drive limit in Scotland lower than elsewhere in the UK. The change reduces the legal alcohol limit from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: "We've now got a new drink-drive limit and it's important that drivers recognise that. There is still a hardcore set of individuals who think it's acceptable that they can get away with drink driving and this new limit it will make it much more difficult for them to do so.

"If you're caught drink driving you face an automatic one-year ban on your licence, potentially up to a £5,000 fine and also the possibility of being imprisoned.

"The principle purpose behind this change is to make the roads safer. One in 10 of all the fatalities that occur on our roads each year are associated with someone who is over the drink-drive limit.

"That's 20 lives that are lost, families that are devastated through the loss of their loved one. By reducing the drink-drive limit we want to send a strong message to drivers that we will not tolerate drink-driving and that you put yourself at risk of being caught by this reduction in the drink-driving limit.

"I believe that will not only reduce accidents but also reduce fatalities."

Meanwhile, officers from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and Police Scotland told justices of the peace (JPs) about their experience of road traffic collisions.

Representatives of both services and from the road safety charity Brake were invited to speak at this year's Sheriffdom of North Strathclyde annual conference and training event.

Among those sharing their experience was PC Michael Montague - a roads policing officer based in Dumbarton.

He has volunteered to serve as a family liaison officer and used his years of experience to share with the group what it is like to inform relatives of someone killed as a result of drink-driving.

PC Montague said: "I can't truly describe the intense and overwhelming mixture of feelings and emotions that a person will experience when I have to inform them that they lost a loved one in such a traumatic yet avoidable way."

The impact on families was brought home by a woman whose sister was killed in a collision involving a drunk-driver.

Leigh Payne, from Stonehouse in South Lanarkshire, lost her sister Stacey Muldoon in July 2008. Stacey was 23 and had two daughters.

After a night out Stacey and a friend had accepted a lift home from 21-year-old Robert Park.

Police said he was driving at between 45 and 55 miles per hour in a 30 miles per hour zone before colliding with a lamppost, causing Stacey to suffer fatal neck and chest injuries.

Ms Payne said: "We were a close family and Stacey brought so much happiness to our lives. We miss her so much.

"Cars can be deadly weapons and drivers shouldn't think that they can get away with taking risks like speeding and drink-driving."

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: "A 48-year-old man was arrested in connection with alleged road traffic offences and has been subject to a report to the Procurator Fiscal."

catriona.stewart@eveningtimes.co.uk