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Welsh Government
Data Provider: Welsh Government National Statistics Screened breath tests in Wales by year
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[Collapse]Police Force Area[Filtered]
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Police Force Area 1[Filter]
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[Collapse]Date[Filtered]
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[Collapse]Date 1
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Date 2
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Measure 1
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[Collapse]Number of breath testsTotal tests90,93679,57996,09588,78375,82763,48355,87441,51236,97532,53024,82018,46225,011
Positive or refused6,0456,9887,9175,7595,1164,8134,5864,5474,4744,5773,5572,8973,583
[Collapse]Percentage of total breath testsPercentage positive or refused6.68.88.26.56.77.68.211.012.114.114.315.714.3
[Collapse]Rate of breath tests per 1,000 populationTotal tests per 1,000 population29.826.0(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.31.3(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.28.9(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.24.7(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.20.7(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.18.2(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.13.5(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.12.0(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.10.5(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.8.0(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.5.98.0
Positive or refused per 1,000 population2.02.3(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.2.6(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.1.9(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.1.7(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.1.6(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.1.5(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.1.5(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.1.5(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.1.5(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.1.1(r) The data item has been revised since previously published in StatsWales.0.91.1

Metadata

Title

Number of screened breath tests by police force region in Wales

Last update

20 March 2024 20 March 2024

Next update

December 2024 (provisional)

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Source 1

Breath Test Statistics for England and Wales, Home Office

Designation

National Statistics

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Police authorities

Geographical coverage

Wales

Languages covered

English and Welsh

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

Keywords

Screened breath tests, Police Force Region

General description

Number of screened breath tests by police force region in Wales

Data collection and calculation

Breath tests
The police can require a person to take a screening breath test if they have reasonable cause to suspect that the person has been driving or attempting to drive with alcohol in their body (Section 6(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1988), that they have committed a moving traffic offence (Section 6(1)), or that the person has been involved in an accident (Section 6(2)). A person failing to provide a breath test is guilty of ân offence, unless there is a reasonable excuse.

Frequency of publication

Annual

Data reference periods

2002 to 2022

Statistical quality

The statistics are used both within and outside the Welsh Government to monitor trends in driving offences and as a baseline for further analysis. Breath test statistics are used to measure the effectiveness of drink–drive campaigns by police forces.

Figures for 'total breath tests' showed a large increase from 2007 to 2009 due to a new digital breath test system being implemented by many police forces. Previously, with paper reporting, negative breath tests tended to be under-reported by forces. In some cases, officers from neighbouring forces may carry out breath tests in territory covered by other forces. In such cases, a breath test will be recorded against the force who owns the equipment. It is not always possible to identify which force actually conducted the breath test.