Drink-drive deaths in Britain have risen by seven per cent over the past decade, despite ongoing safety campaigns and enforcement efforts. Department for Transport statistics reveal an estimated 260 people died in crashes in 2023 where a driver was over the alcohol limit.
The 2023 figure represented a 14 per cent reduction from the previous 12 months, offering some hope for road safety campaigners. However, the longer-term trend shows a troubling seven per cent increase from 2013 levels.
Alarming proportion of road deaths
Some 16 per cent of all road deaths in 2023 involved drink-driving, highlighting the persistent danger posed by intoxicated motorists. Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, described the trend as "troubling" and warned that Britain was "stuck in a dangerous rut".
"Drink-driving can have devastating consequences," Lyes said. "While the latest drink-drive related fatality figures have declined on the previous year, the trend over the past decade is troubling and shows that we are stuck in a dangerous rut."
Calls for tougher enforcement
Lyes called for renewed efforts to tackle the problem, emphasising the need for better police resources and revised approaches to offenders. "We must redouble our efforts on enforcement, providing the police with the necessary tools to clamp down on drink-drivers while reviewing our approach to both first time and repeat offenders," he said.
The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland remains at 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. Nowhere else in Europe has a limit above 50mg/100ml, with Scotland having reduced its limit to that level in 2014.
Repeat offenders pose ongoing threat
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency statistics previously obtained by PA revealed the scale of repeat offending among British motorists. Some 27,837 drivers were convicted of drink-driving multiple times in the 11 years to July 20 2024.
The figures showed 372 motorists were caught at least four times, including four individuals who were prosecuted on seven separate occasions. These statistics underscore concerns about the effectiveness of current deterrents and rehabilitation programmes for persistent offenders.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
