Portugal’s young drivers are taking a more responsible approach to alcohol consumption, and an indication of this was the number of breath tests that recorded a blood alcohol level below the legal limit during a police action last Saturday – 1,467 out of 1,702 breath tests performed were negative.
The GNR police were involved in the operation, which was part of the ‘European Night Without Accidents’ initiative to raise awareness among young drivers about the risks of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The awareness action takes place each year on the third Saturday of October and is organised by nightclubs all over Europe. It was started by youth association ‘Responsible Young Driver’, based in Brussels.
It was the first time the police authorities in Portugal participated in the initiative and the results were considered a success as the vast majority of youngsters breathalysed recorded an alcohol rate below the legal limit.
However, 235 tests showed a blood-alcohol level equal or above the legal driving limit of 0.50 grams of alcohol per litre of blood, and these youngsters were advised not to drive that night.
The operation was carried out in the districts of Porto, Coimbra, Lisbon, Portalegre and Faro.
