Reports have been received from readers that the local Fethiye Police have been out in force checking for drink drivers. One reader was stopped around Midnight on the Patlangic Road but the other was stopped at 11:00am, yes 11:00 in the morning whilst leaving Migros. Breath tests were requested from both motorists who were found to be under the limit.

Up until now the routine breathalysing of motorists within Fethiye has almost been unheard of. The Jandarma on the other hand have been very active in this area particularly on the approach road to and from Ovacik on the Oludeniz Road.

We don’t know if the current routine stopping is a short term campaign or the beginning of a new clamp down by the local Police. But in any case we hope it will send the message to drink drivers to ‘think before they drink before they drive’.

Each year in Fethiye needless deaths and injuries are caused by drunk drivers. Only last weekend a car was in collision with a scooter driver who was under the influence. Luckily both drivers survived but the scooter driver is badly injured.

So what are the drink driving limits in Turkey?

Turkish law states that it is illegal to drive any motor vehicle, and also push bikes, if you have more than 0.5mg of alcohol in your blood stream. 0.5mg is the equivalent of one 250 ml premium beer or half a big Efes – not much eh?

But did you also know that if you are carrying any passengers in your car the limit is ZERO, yes zero alcohol in your system* A sobering thought we think.

If you're banned from driving in Turkey, that doesn't stop you driving elsewhere in Europe. And, according to the AA, drink driving convictions abroad do not affect your U.K. licence. They claim that even if your licence is confiscated abroad, the foreign government will simply send it to the DVLA, which will then return it to you without penalty. So, that might be OK if you’re a visitor but the situation for residents without a licence will be tougher*

* source – www.safetravel.org.uk