UK’s safety group Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has called for a review of drink-drive laws following the recent police revelation that over 7,500 drivers were caught drink-driving over the Christmas period.

A total of 7,638 drivers were arrested after being breathalysed in England and Wales between 1 December 2009 and 1 January 2010, according to figures published by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

Of the 223,423 drivers tested during the month-long blitz, 3% were found to be over the limit.

For drivers under the age of 25, the percentage of those caught was 7% and for drivers involved in an accident, it was 7%.

According to RoSPA, although the number of those arrested is 16.5% lower than that of 2008 in spite of a 22% rise in tests, far too many drivers are still putting themselves and others at risk.

The group has called for cutting the legal alcohol limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg, which would save an annual 65 lives and 230 serious injuries on Britain’s roads, as well as granting extra power to police to carry out such tests.