Skip to main content

TISPOL video highlights Finnish crackdown on drink drivers

Traffic police in Finland have been carrying out breath tests across the country in a bid to reduce the around “58 cases a day” of drink-driving detected on the nation’s highways. A recent breath test day operation was held in Mikkeli, southern Finland and filmed by TISPOL (the European Traffic Police Network). Speaking to the TISPOL film crew during the test day, Finland Traffic Police Chief Inspector Jarmo Puustinen said, “We are doing this because we have an average of 21,000 cases monthly where people
December 17, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Traffic police in Finland have been carrying out breath tests across the country in a bid to reduce the around “58 cases a day” of drink-driving detected on the nation’s highways.

A recent breath test day operation was held in Mikkeli, southern Finland and filmed by 4753 TISPOL (the European Traffic Police Network).

Speaking to the TISPOL film crew during the test day, Finland Traffic Police Chief Inspector Jarmo Puustinen said, “We are doing this because we have an average of 21,000 cases monthly where people are driving under the influence of alcohol. Every day we catch approximately 58 drivers. This is quite a big amount, I would say.”

“We are doing a lot of screening tests and a lot of cases come from traffic [police] control. We also get tips from the public.”

The filmed traffic police tests in Mikkeli were carried out in both directions of a popular 60km/hour highway, in sub-zero degree temperatures. The results of the test day operation are still to be made public.

In Finland the authorities have access to a database of a driver’s income, with fines proportionate to the income of the offender.

Similar anti-drink drive traffic police operations are continuing all across Europe throughout the month of December into early January 2014.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • HxGN Live 2014 attracts record event numbers
    August 28, 2014
    Attracting an HxGN Live event record-breaking 3,500 attendees, HxGN Live 2014 held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, US, June 2-5 showcased exciting new and in-demand design, measurement and visualisation technologies for industries including road construction and mining. Themed Great Stories Start Here, this year’s event also included a variety of exclusive presentations by industry experts, hands-on training, inspiring keynotes and international networking opportunities. Guy Woodford reports In
  • IronPlanet sells US$26.8mn of used heavy equipment at latest global auction
    February 10, 2014
    IronPlanet, a leading online marketplace for used heavy equipment, has made a strong start to 2014, selling US$26.8 million in used heavy equipment and trucks during a global auction event held 28-31 January. The four-day auction included equipment listed in the US, Canada, Mexico and Europe. In total, 1,795 items were sold to over 1,000 buyers. Strong demand in the market was demonstrated by online bids placed from 78 different countries as well as from every US state and all 10 Canadian provinces.
  • Tackling road safety in India
    February 7, 2012
    Introducing an Indian business leader committed to combating the 'perfect plague' of deaths on the country's roads
  • Terex targeting “mineral wealth” led growth markets
    July 2, 2013
    A senior Terex figure said the leading construction equipment manufacturer is hard at work targeting future “mineral wealth” led sales growth opportunities in Africa, Russia, Asia and Australia. Speaking during the recent Terex Truck Days event at the firm’s articulated and rigid dump truck manufacturing facility in Motherwell, Scotland, John Mlonek, commercial sales manager for Terex Construction, said, “With the downturn in Europe, lots of our efforts have gone more into markets like South Africa, which i