Concern over rise in drink-drive deaths

New figures from the Department for Transport show there were an estimated 260 deaths on Britain’s roads in 2021 where a motorist was over the drink drive limit – an 18% year-on-year increase and the highest since 2009.

Drink drivers accounted for 17% of all road deaths, up two percentage points from 15% reported in the previous year.

The DfT drink-drive data also shows that 6,740 people were injured in drink drive accidents, up 4%.

Hunter Abbott, MD of personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense, said: “It’s very concerning indeed to see the number of fatalities caused by a drunk driver increase by nearly a fifth.  Although we spent much of 2020 in lockdown, resulting in less traffic on the roads, restrictions were also in place for the first half of 2021 so again there were fewer vehicle movements than usual.

“What these figures don’t tell you, of course, is how many more casualties were caused by ‘lethal but legal’ drivers – those who were above the point of intoxication where effects on cognitive function occur, but below the official drink drive limit.”

Analysis by AlcoSense of the new data shows that London and the South-East accounted for 28% of all drink drive casualties in Great Britain, with Scotland (where the drink drive limit is lower) recording the fewest (3%).

“More drivers need to be tested by Police after an accident,” added Abbott, who is also a member of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS). “Every year 17% of motorists fail the test or refuse to provide a sample.”

In May, DfT figures showed that the overall number of deaths on UK roads had risen from 1,558 in 2021 to 1,695 in 2022 – an increase of 8.7%.