64, according to Øst police district operations manager Fredrik Solbakken. The driver, a man in his 50s, had his license confiscated and is suspected of driving under the influence. 5 generally leads to impaired motor skills and borders on alcohol poisoning, officials said.
In Bergen, a man in his 20s drove the wrong way in a tunnel at 03:16, triggering an automatic closure of southbound lanes. He was stopped by police 13 minutes later and tested positive on a breathalyzer, leading to drunk driving charges. Operations leader Ole Ronny Olsen said the incident was reported and will be further investigated, adding that no very high speed was reported.
The alcohol traces indicate an increased risk to traffic safety and can pose a danger to all road users.
According to NRK Vestland, traffic operator Tor Evensen described wrong-way driving as having very high risk and great danger potential, noting that some tunnels have detection systems. The tunnel, which opened in October 2022, has a speed limit of 100 km/h, and there was little traffic at the time. Mesta crews often find littered rest areas, especially truck parking areas, with much dumping of waste and vandalism, according to project manager Camilla Meland.
She said they find many empty bottles and other alcohol-related packaging almost daily, and a complete kitchen was recently found dumped at one of their rest areas. According to NRK Østfold, Camilla Meland described the alcohol traces as indicating an increased risk to traffic safety. NLF regional manager Johan Kristian Bjerke said all drivers in member companies are told that driving under the influence is unacceptable, and the organization takes strong distance from drivers with substance abuse problems.
Driving against the direction of travel has very high risk and great danger potential.
He believes authorities should conduct more frequent sobriety checks, especially at Svinesund, where up to 1800 heavy vehicles cross daily, only about 10% with Norwegian plates. In Ålesund, police reminded the public that alcohol limits apply to electric scooters after three riders were stopped with alcohol in their blood last weekend. Karl Jonas Volden, head of patrol and preparedness, said rules are there to protect life and health, and outlined requirements including one person per scooter and helmets for children under 15.
Multiple arrests occurred across Sweden. In Borlänge, a man in his 50s fled a traffic check but was stopped and could not provide a sobriety test. In Tranås, two men were arrested after a pursuit ended in a ditch; initial charges include gross negligence in traffic and drunk driving.
We unfortunately often see cars in the wrong direction in tunnels, but some tunnels have systems to detect this.
A man outside Umeå resisted testing and threatened police, leading to arrest on suspicion of drunk driving, violent resistance, and threats against an official. 32 mg alcohol per liter of exhaled air and had his license seized. A Lindesberg driver in his 60s tested positive and is suspected of drunk driving.
In Söderfors, a man on an ATV fled police but was caught and tested positive; the vehicle was deregistered and had a driving ban. In Oskarshamn, a driver was stopped on Norrtornsvägen and is suspected of drug-impaired driving and a minor narcotics offense. Norwegian rural areas also saw incidents.
It often happens unconsciously, where drivers stop and turn without realizing the tunnel is one-way.
In Rindal, a visibly intoxicated man was reported by a witness; he denied driving but other witnesses contradicted him, and he will undergo a blood test. 2 promille. In Stadsbygd, a car was found sideways on Helsetveien; the driver in his 30s was taken for a blood test.
In Levanger, a driver coming off a ferry was checked, and the car owner, a passenger, was reported for allowing an unfit person to drive. High-speed chases and dangerous driving added to the toll. In Linköping, a 20-year-old man drank beer at a bar before driving and was charged with gross negligence in traffic after running a red light.
Near Helsingborg, a man in his 20s crashed during a prolonged chase after refusing to stop; he was lightly injured. Police are searching for objects thrown from the vehicle, suspecting weapons. In Boden, a driver tested positive and is suspected of drunk driving.
In Årsta, a fast-food restaurant alerted police to a driver who sounded intoxicated at the drive-thru; he is suspected of drug-impaired driving. Internationally, Indianapolis police released footage of a stolen beer truck crash on 27 March. Randall Baker, 41, was arrested after a chase where he steered toward a deputy, striking a patrol car.
He faces charges including attempted murder and operating while intoxicated. In Burnham-on-Sea, a man was arrested after a car was driven through a stone staircase and into parked vehicles; he was released under investigation. The exact blood alcohol or drug test results for many suspects remain unconfirmed, and the extent of injuries in several crashes is unclear.
Specific substances in drug-impaired cases have not been disclosed, and legal outcomes are pending.