THE number of motorists caught drink-driving has dropped since Scotland introduced its tough new limit.

There were 30% fewer cases of the crime than average recorded in the first week after the law changed than, police have confirmed.

The statistically significant fall was immediately seized upon as evidence that the new limit - which is now in line with European norms - had changed attitudes to drink-driving.

Senior officers and campaigners stressed the drop came despite the fact the first week of the law coincided with Police Scotland's annual "festive" crackdown on the offence - when traffic patrols were actively looking for those drunk behind the wheel.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House, announcing the numbers, said he believed publicity around the new law had raised public understanding of the dangers of the crime.

He said: "A lot of the papers are reporting that do-it-yourself breath kits - which we do not endorse - have sold out.

"That in itself must be a good thing because it shows a rise in awareness.

"But our view remains that any drink, no matter how little, affects your driving to the safest thing is not to drink at all.

"I am really heartened by public support for lowering the drink drive limit."

The actual number of people caught in the week after the law changed - beginning December 5 - was low.

There were 71 drivers caught under the influence of drink or drugs, of whom only eight measured between the new and old limit. "The number that we detected was a 30% reduction on a normal weekly average," said Sir Stephen. "Seven were actually detected from 6am till 10am, still, I would assume, suffering from alcohol intake from the night before."

Police sources believe "water cooler" chat over whether it is safe to drive on the morning following a drink may have kept drivers with alcohol in their systems off the road.

Neil Greig, of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, agreed. He said: "This is very good news and reflects awareness that drink driving has been in the news and that the message about the new limit has got through.

"The general trend has been for a decline in drink driving but the police are clearly having a bit of success here. Now we have to hope that the message keeps getting out 365 years and that people realise it is not just for Christmas."

Sir Stephen had revealed the new figures at a meeting of the Scottish Police Authority in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, on Wednesday.

He also repeated his concerns that road deaths were rising in Scotland, albeit slightly, and remained above target so for this financial year.

Road deaths in the April-September rose by three from the same six months a year before to 104, including three children. Serious injuries dropped by 8.3 per cent.

The chief constable has focused firmly on road traffic offending since Police Scotland came in to being in April 2013.

Yesterday he acknowledged there had been a "spike" in convictions for traffic offences in the first year of the force.

Motoring fines accounted for most of the 5000 rise in overall convicgtions reported by the Scottish Government in 2013-14. However, traffic officers, as first revealed by The Herald, have this year been issuing as many warnings as fines. The force's only target, Sir Stephen stressed, was to cut deaths, not fine motorists. So far this year it has just short of its road fatality target.