Surrey Police's festive drink-drive campaign has been hailed a success.

The Force's annual crackdown saw 51 drivers failing breath tests over the Christmas and New Year period.

The figure marked just over three per cent of the total number of 1,663 roadside breath tests carried out between December 1 and January 1.

A Surrey Police spokesman said the result meant the percentage of drivers testing positive over the festive season has fallen by six per cent over the last three years.

There has been a year-on-year fall in the percentage of positive breath tests since the Force and Surrey County Council launched the Drive SMART campaign to combat anti-social driving in the county in September 2009.

In the Christmas and New Year period before the campaign was launched, nine per cent of those tested were positive.

That fell to just under six per cent in the 2009 to 2010 period, and then to just under 4.5% in the 2010 to 2011 period.

The most recent campaign involved enforcement activity targeting any driver involved in a collision or suspected by an officer of being impaired through drink or drugs.

In addition, the campaign also saw publicity material distributed to pubs and clubs around Surrey, particularly targeting men aged between 17 and 29 who are statistically more likely to drink and drive.

Inspector Richard Mallett of Surrey Police's Roads Policing Unit said the campaign results showed motorists in Surrey are continuing to heed messages from the Force and from partners warning them not to drink and drive.

Insp Mallett said: "It is encouraging to see less and less of those we breathalyse testing positive for alcohol.

“However, the fact remains that drink-driving destroys lives and we will continue to target the selfish small minority who drink and drive on our roads, putting so much at risk for other road-users, themselves and their families.”

Insp Mallett said: "The combination of enforcement and targeted publicity appears to be working with the under 25s only accounting for 15% of the failed breath tests this year, putting them below the 25 to 34-year-old, 35 to 44-year-old and 45 to 54-year-old age groups.”

He added: “Our work, targeting and educating those who consider getting behind a wheel after a drink, is not just for Christmas though, and we will continue to take action against those who put other road users' lives at risk through this selfish behaviour."

Kay Hammond, Surrey County Council's cabinet member for community safety, said: "Drinking and driving is stupid beyond belief and incredibly dangerous, so it's encouraging to see less people registering positive breath tests.”

Coun Hammond said: “Even a small amount of alcohol can reduce a driver's co-ordination and make it harder to judge speed, time and distances.

“It also reduces reaction times.”

She said: “We'll continue to work with Surrey Police in our Drive SMART campaign to help reduce the number of people drinking and driving even further."