FOI 0752-2026/27- Roadside breath tests

Request:

I would like to refine my request in line with your advice, omitting the original questions Q4–Q7 and Q9, which would require a manual review of individual arrest records.

Please provide the following information for December 2024 and December 2025 separately:

Q1. The total number of motorists stopped and given a roadside breath test for suspected drink-driving.

Q2. The total number of roadside breath tests which produced a positive result for alcohol.

Q3. The total number of people arrested for a drink-driving offence.

Q4. The number of positive roadside breath tests broken down by the recorded reason for the test, using the categories available to the force.

Q5. In particular, if recorded and readily retrievable, please provide the number of positive roadside breath tests carried out between 06:00 and 11:59 for each month separately. I am interested in the potential scale of morning-after drink-driving, but I understand that identifying which motorists were subsequently arrested may require the manual review you have described.

I am content to receive the closest equivalent information held where the force cannot distinguish roadside tests from other breath tests, or where the information is recorded using different categories.

I am requesting recorded information only and am not asking the force to manually review individual records or create new information. If any element of this refined request would still exceed the appropriate cost limit, please provide advice on what further refinement would enable the information to be supplied.

Response: 

Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police.

I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police. 

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the following information to you.

Q1. The number of roadside breath tests for suspected drink driving in December 2024 and December 2025.

Q2. The failed test results for the above.

Q3. The total number of arrests for Section 4 and Section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in December 2024 and December 2025.

Q4. The number of failed (positive) roadside breath tests for the above dates, categorised by test reason.

Q5. The number of failed (positive) roadside breath tests conducted between 06:00-11:59hrs in December 2024 and December 2025.

Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.