Police stopped suspected drink or drug drivers every five and a half hours throughout last year, The Argus can reveal.

Between January and December 2012 at least four motorists were arrested everyday by Sussex Police, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

The figures for how many were subsequently charged with driving offences were not available.

Of the 1,511 people who were arrested were 13 drivers who were aged under the age of 18.

But drink/drug-drive levels have actually fallen since 2009, according to figures.

Then 1,699 people were arrested – average of nearly five a day.

There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it is impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals - it is different for each person.

The legal alcohol limit for drivers in the UK is 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood and /or 107 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine.

The way alcohol affects you depends on your weight, age, sex and metabolism, the type and amount of alcohol you are drinking, what you have eaten recently and your stress levels at the time.

Danger

Drivers automatically lose their licences.

Chief Inspector Natalie Moloney, the head of Sussex Police's road policing unit, said: "The number of people being caught driving while drunk or on drugs in Sussex has fallen in recent years but we are not complacent the problem is going away.

"Those who get behind the wheel while over the limit don't just put themselves at risk but endanger their passengers and other road users as well.

"We can all play our part in tackling the issue by choosing either to drink or drive, persuading others not to break the law or warning us if someone is about to.

"Don't get into a car with a drink-driver. Don't let your kids into a car with a drink driver.

"If you believe someone could be driving while over the limit send us a text to 65999 with the driver's details and those of the vehicle, visit www.operationcrackdown.org or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

"If you know someone is about to drink or drug drive, call 999."

See the latest news headlines from The Argus:

 

More news from The Argus

The Argus: Daily Echo on Facebook - facebook.com/southerndailyecho Like us on Facebook

The Argus: Google+ Add us to your circles on Google+