PEOPLE WHO DRINK DRIVE ARE XMAS CRACKERS... STOP CHECK We join the police on a morning operation to catch the rogue motorists who put us at risk over the festive period Shamed drivers face losing vehicles

ACROSS Glasgow and the West of Scotland, 99 people won't be having a happy Christmas.

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That's the number caught drink driving so far as part of an annual month-long clampdown, which started on December 5.

Another 14 have been arrested for driving under the influence of drugs.

And 16 people could even face 2012 without their cars as part of tough new measures.

First-time offenders, who are found to be three times the legal limit or more, plus drivers who refuse to provide a sample may now have their vehicle seized and, on conviction, have it taken away for good.

That's on top of a criminal record, a fine and an automatic 12 month ban.

"Devastation," is how Sergeant David Cameron, 42, describes the reaction of those who are breathalysed and found to be over the limit.

He said: "By the time they get to the police office they are already a wreck.

"They are disappointed they have let themselves drink and drive, and they know they are going to lose their licence.

"They realise how much it's going to impinge on their life."

Sgt Cameron is leading a team of four officers conducting early morning checks on Hillington Road on the city's South Side.

They aim to catch people who should not be in their cars after indulging the night before.

Though vehicles are pulled over randomly, the police also use technology to identify those with no insurance, or vehicles with known police intelligence on them.

An Automatic Number Plate Registration (ANPR) camera is stationed 200 yards in front of the patrol, and an officer in the car alerts the team to stop specific vehicles.

Officers explain the festive drink and drug driving campaign, which is run by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS), law enforcement partners and the Scottish Government.

People can only be breathalysed if they are committing a road traffic offence, for example, having no lights, or driving erratically, if they're involved in an accident, or if officers think they might have had a drink.

While chatting they'll check-out the driver, before briefly examining the car and its tyres.

However, the SNP is calling for a "zero-tolerance" approach to drink-driving, which could lead to all drivers being stopped and breathalysed on main routes to and from pubs and clubs.

Ministers also hope to lower the legal blood- alcohol limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to the European average of 50mg – the equivalent of one small bottle of beer.

Sgt Cameron, said: "If somebody has been drinking it's pretty obvious. You can smell them a mile away. People think it's going to be fine. They think: what are the chances?

"Every time you stop somebody drink driving you could have saved a life."

On the morning we were there, sign fitter David Lang 41, from Erskine was one of the drivers breathalysed, though he has not touched a drop.

He said: "It's a good thing to do. I've not had one drink. It's your job now-adays, your livelihood."

Also checked was Caroline Wilson, 51, who was on her way to visit her mum.

She said: "I'm teetotal so I wouldn't have failed. If it's effective I think it's a good idea."

Carpet fitter John Bowie, 46, from Penilee, was also clear.

He said: "They should catch them all and crush their cars."

But for one women, on her way to work in a smart suit and heels, it's bad news.

On checking the computer, her sleek VW Sirocco is found to have no insurance.

After checks are made, it's towed away. She landed six points on her licence, a £200 fine plus the cost of getting her car back.

Another man is fined £60 for not wearing a seat belt, while a van driver is sent to a nearby garage to inflate one of his tyres to bring it up to pressure.

Though the officers have stopped at least 100 people in two hours, and breathalysed around 40, nobody has been caught for drink or drug driving on this day, and the team are ready to move somewhere else.

However, 2000 cars have passed by, sending out a strong message.

Sgt Cameron, said: "Who knows how many people have driven past saying 'I'm glad that wasn't yesterday' or 'tomorrow, I'm going to take a taxi.'

"You don't know how many people you can affect just by being here.

"The message is, don't drink anything.

"One thing's for sure, tomorrow, our roadside team will be somewhere else."

ALMOST 100 people were arrested across Strathclyde for drink driving during the first two weeks of a festive crackdown. SARAH SWAIN and MARC TURNER joined Strathclyde Police on Christmas patrol.

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DRINK drivers caught this month include:

n A 41-year-old man driving a courtesy bus from Glasgow airport into the city while twice over the legal limit at 9am.

n A 19-year old who crashed his dad's Vauxhall in Alderman Road, Knightswood, at 3am on December 10. Not only did he have no licence, he was also twice the legal limit.

n Last Saturday a 27-year old who was pulled over for driving erratically refused to take a breath test and was arrested. He further refused to provide a specimen and was charged.

n At 1am on December 15, staff at a take-away on the South Side called police after suspecting a driver was drunk. He was found to be three times over the limit.

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