Drink-drive convictions - 'These figures are no cause for celebration'

THE fall in drink-drive convictions to their lowest level in a decade in the Capital appears, on the surface, to be good news. A similar nationwide trend also seems to support the comforting idea that, as a society, we are growing less tolerant of such behaviour and that the message is getting through to more drivers.

Yet you only have to scratch the surface to see that there is absolutely no cause for celebration in our current situation.

The problem remains a vast one - more than 1200 people across Lothian and Borders, and almost 8,000 across Scotland, were caught breaking the law in 12 months.

Some recent research also suggests the problem is rising among young people - although the evidence so far seems inconclusive - and shows a frighteningly cavalier attitude among many motorists.

One study this year claimed one in five drivers suspected they had driven while over the limit on the morning after a heavy night out.

Official Government accident statistics seem to bear this out, as one in ten alcohol-related road collisions takes place the "morning after", between 6am and 10am.

Police have not been slow to target this phenomenon in their regular safety blitzes, yet it is hard not to fear that we are looking at merely the tip of the iceberg in these arrest statistics.

One move which may have had an instant impact is the willingness of Lothian and Borders Police to embrace powers allowing them to confiscate cars from repeat offenders.

There is clearly a hardcore still willing to risk everything by driving drunk. Seizing their cars might just have taken some of these worst offenders off the road in a way that driving bans and even short prison sentences often fail to do for long.

While today's figures are a step in the right direction, they do nothing to undermine the increasingly convincing argument for Scotland to tighten its drink-drive laws.

Royal approval

Queen Victoria, who so admired the architecture of the old Donaldson's School for the Deaf, wouldsurely have been intrigued by the idea of it being turned into aspectacular hotel.

If theprojectlives up to its early promise, maybe even the Queen of Pop, Madonna, will be tempted to pay a visit on her next visit to Scotland.