THE amount of motorists caught for drink driving over the Christmas period is up from the same period last year.
Clare Chief Superintendent John Kerin confirmed that a total of 12 people were arrested for drink driving related offences over the festive season.
The arrests were carried out between Wednesday December 20, 2017 and Friday, January 5, 2018.
A total of 10 people were arrested for drink driving related offences over the same period last year.
Road Safety Authority (RSA) analysis of Garda investigation files for fatal crashes in the months of November and December has found that alcohol is a factor in two out of five fatal crashes in the lead up to Christmas.
The figures also showed that the number of motorists arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence has risen by 12 per cent from last year, with 7,428 drivers arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence compared to 6,637 up to October 2016.