In the period from June 21 to June 24, the police detained a total of 67 drunk drivers during intensified road safety checks. 31 administrative offense proceedings, 36 criminal proceedings, and two proceedings for driving under the influence of drugs were initiated.
On Līgo and Jāņi days, June 23 and 24, the police carried out more than 18,000 checks on drivers. A total of 35 cases of drivers under the influence of alcohol were recorded. In 12 cases, administrative proceedings were initiated and in 23 cases, criminal proceedings were initiated.
Juris Jančevskis, Head of the State Police Response Department, told Latvian Television's "Morning Panorama" that 23 of the arrested drunk drivers had more than 1.5 per mille of alcohol in their system.
"Looking back at last year's celebrations, these statistics have improved slightly, but the numbers still speak for themselves. Drivers have not been conscientious. (..) Last year, on Līgo and Jāņi Day, a total of 42 drivers were arrested for being under the influence of alcohol, and this year there are 35 cases," said Irbeniece-Chesle.
A total of 147 road accidents were recorded in the country during the festive period, in which 23 people were injured and two people died. The circumstances of the fatal accidents are still to be clarified.
"Both accidents took place in the Zemgale region and involved a vehicle driving off the road and overturning," said Jančevskis, noting that criminal proceedings had been opened in both cases, which will also clarify whether the drivers of the vehicles were under the influence of alcohol.
According to him, on Līgo and Jāņi days, a total of 937 offenses were detected in road traffic, of which 440 were related to speeding. "Seven aggressive drivers were caught. This is also a sufficiently high number of speeding offenses, which account for almost half of all road traffic offenses," said the Head of the State Police Response Department.
