Police in Monaco will carry out reinforced night-time checks for drink- and drug-driving across the Principality over the first two weeks of August, under a government decision aimed at keeping the roads safe during the busy summer period.

The checks run from Monday 3rd to Sunday 16th August, between 10pm and 4am, and may take place anywhere in the territory. Officers are authorised to test drivers for signs of drunkenness, to measure their blood-alcohol level and to screen for the use of drugs.

A response to the summer influx

The decision, taken on 28th July and published in the Journal de Monaco, singles out the first half of August as a period of significantly heavier visitor numbers and intensified festive activity, including busier nightlife. That combination of crowds, heavier traffic and late-night events, it notes, raises the risk of people getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs, endangering residents and visitors alike.

The rules

The measure draws on the Principality’s road-safety law of November 2025 and the general policing powers of the Minister of State. The decision notes that driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.80 grams per litre or more, or after taking drugs, endangers people and property, and drivers stopped during the operation may be required to submit to testing.

Residents and visitors heading out during the fortnight are advised to plan how they will get home if they intend to drink.

See also: 

Explained: What Monaco’s new road safety laws mean for drivers

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Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life