A TEENAGER was charged with drug driving through Alloa - just four days after passing his test.

The 17-year-old was caught last month during the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) drink and drug driving campaign.

Almost 500 motorists were detected driving under the influence across Scotland's eight police forces over the four-week initiative.

In the first week of the crackdown, Michael Laverty (53), of Kersegreen Road, Clackmannan was charged with several road traffic offences after he collided with an oncoming car near the Collylands Roundabout on 9 December.

He appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court the next day where he pled guilty to driving carelessly on the B908 at 7.30pm causing the collision, failing to give the identity of the driver to police, and failing to provide two specimens of breath at the police station.

Laverty was fined �800 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

The following week, a 30-year-old Clackmannan woman was seen driving slowly through Alloa town centre before veering off the road and hitting a bollard.

Fiona Clements, of Erskine Place, appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court on 17 December and admitted driving without due care and attention on 15 December. She also pled guilty to failing to identity the driver to officers, kick an officer on the body and not give two specimens of breath.

She was fined �280 and banned from the roads for one year.

In the final week of the campaign, a total of 143 drink drivers were detected nationwide. A further six were detected unfit to drive through drugs and six more were unfit to drive due to the influence of alcohol.

It was the last drink and drug drive campaign before the single Scottish police force forms in April.

Deputy Chief Constable Tom Ewing, who is the ACPOS lead on Road Policing, said, "This year's campaign may be over but that does not mean that police officers will be ignoring the scourge of drink and drug driving. Quite the reverse in fact, it will be part of routine night and day to look out for those who are prepared to take the risk.

"The figures are down slightly on last year but in no way should that be seen as some kind of success. There are still too many people drinking and taking drugs before getting behind the wheel and I would urge anyone tempted to take the risk to think very carefully about the consequences. You will lose your licence, may lose your vehicle and face a substantial fine."