Overnight, the police made three arrests of drivers for offenses caught in the act involving driving under the influence of alcohol, following an equal number of traffic accidents in Nicosia and Limassol. Meanwhile, in Paphos, a 17-year-old driver tested positive in a preliminary drug test.
Specifically, shortly after 7:00 p.m. yesterday, while a 48-year-old man was driving his vehicle on Nicosia Avenue in the Idali industrial area, he collided with a vehicle ahead of him that was stopped at a red light. As a result of the collision, the second vehicle struck a third vehicle traveling ahead of it.
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Police officers arrived at the scene and administered a breathalyzer test to the 48-year-old, which showed a reading of 78 μg instead of 22 μg—the legal limit—resultingresulting in his arrest on the spot.
In a second incident, shortly before midnight, a 35-year-old driver, while driving near the Mesa Geitonia roundabout in Limassol, lost control of his vehicle and struck a metal streetlight pole, which fell onto the roadway.
Police officers arrived at the scene and administered a preliminary breathalyzer test to the 35-year-old, which showed a reading of 92 μg instead of the legal limit of 22 μg. He was then taken to the Limassol Traffic Police headquarters for a final breathalyzer test; however, he failed to provide a satisfactory sample, resulting in his arrest for a flagrant offense.
In a third incident, 30 minutes past midnight today, while an 18-year-old was driving his car on Griva Digeni Avenue in Engomi, he collided with another car, which fled the scene.
Shortly afterward, members of the Nicosia Traffic Police located the vehicle involved and determined that it was being driven by a 45-year-old man. The driver underwent a breathalyzer test, which registered 80 μg instead of the legal limit of 22 μg, resulting in his arrest for a flagrant offense.
Also, around 8:40 p.m. yesterday, members of the Paphos Traffic Police pulled over a vehicle in the city center for inspection after it had previously run a traffic signal.
Subsequent checks revealed that the driver was a 17-year-old holder of a learner’s permit who was driving without being accompanied by a licensed driver. Furthermore, it was found that his vehicle was not covered by a valid insurance policy, did not have a renewed registration certificate or a certificate of roadworthiness, and was in violation of other traffic regulations.
The 17-year-old underwent a preliminary drug test, which came back positive, resulting in the confiscation of his driver’s license.
These incidents confirm that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs continues to pose a serious threat to road safety. During the 2021–2025 period, nearly one in four fatal traffic collisions in Cyprus was linked to alcohol or drugs. The Police will continue intensive checks aimed at preventing traffic accidents to ensure a safer road network for everyone.
