Considering that it is necessary to prevent behaviours that are the cause of crimes, accidents, violence and insecurity, Luís Simões highlighted that, in addition to drug consumption, “whether conventional or new psychotropic substances”, “society needs to reflect on alcohol abuse”.

“This, as the police officers of this regional command well know, is one of the main causes of domestic violence, disorder, harm to physical integrity, aggression and many of the damages resulting from resistance, coercion or aggression against law enforcement agents”, said the commander, who was speaking at the ceremony commemorating the 145th anniversary of the Madeira Public Security Police Command (PSP).

“And, very often, it is the cause of serious road accidents, which cause deaths and serious injuries on the region’s roads,” he added.

Luís Simões added that, in Madeira, “out of every 100 drivers inspected, 10 (data from 2022) or 11 (data from the first half of 2023), are driving with blood alcohol levels higher than the legal limit allowed [0.5g /l]”, highlighting that “these rates of 10, 11% are much higher” compared to the continent, which records a rate of around 6%.

Last year, the Madeiran PSP registered 1,048 crimes of driving under the influence of alcohol and detained 825 people in flagrante delicto.

In the first half of this year, “550 arrests were made in flagrante delicto and more than 650 crimes of this type were recorded”, said the commander.