Fifty drivers either failed or refused a breath test during a summer drink drive crackdown by Gwent Police.
During June this year 3,261 were tested in the force area as part of the All Wa;es Drink Drive Campaign 2012.
The percentage of drivers who tested positive, refused or failed to provide a sample was 1.5% against an all Wales average of 1.9%.
Inspector Lee Ford, of the Gwent Police Roads Policing Unit, said: “I am disappointed to see that some people continue to drink or take drugs and drive. They are putting innocent lives at risk by getting behind the wheel while under the influence.
“Our Summer Anti-Drink Drive campaign may now have ended but our efforts to bring drink and drug drivers to justice will continue. We won’t tolerate this behaviour and we are are asking members of the public to help us rid our roads of such irresponsible drivers.
“The communities we serve must know who these individuals are and we would strongly urge people to report them to Gwent Police or to Crimestoppers anonymously. Picking up the phone could save a life.
“If you are found to be driving while over the limit you will be arrested and put before the courts.”
Across the four police forces in Wales, a total of 19,277 drivers were tested with 360 either testing positive or refusing to give a sample.
| Dyfed Powys | Gwent | South Wales | North Wales | All Wales | |
| Total Breath tests administered | 2273 | 3261 | 3226 | 10,517 | 19,277 |
| Total positive, refused or failed to provide | 79 | 50 | 130 | 101 | 360 |
| % of those that were positive, refused or failed to provide | 3.5% | 1.5% | 4.0% | 1.0% | 1.9% |
Chief Constable Jackie Roberts, Dyfed Powys Police which led this year’s campaign, said: “We want to get the message across that drinking alcohol and driving is unacceptable and that it puts other road users’ lives at risk.
“By working together the Welsh forces are driving home the message to drivers about their responsibilities and we will continue to do so all year round.
“We cannot safely calculate how much we can drink and then drive and that also means the morning after. The choice is simple you either drink or you drive.”
Susan Storch, Chair of Road Safety Wales, added: “These results demonstrate how necessary it is for us all to continue to work together in educating drivers on the dangers of consuming alcohol and/or taking drugs and then driving.
Any amount of alcohol or drugs can affect a person’s ability to judge and react effectively whilst driving and we will continue to work with our colleagues in the Police Service on these campaigns to drive home this message.”