Drink drive deaths highest for a decade

Figures just released by the Department for Transport (DfT) show that in 2022, there were 300 deaths in Great Britain where at least one driver was over the limit. That is the highest since 2009, when there were 380 deaths. Since then, yearly estimates have not exceeded 260 and reached a low of 200 in 2015.

However, fatalities are significantly down on historical highs and the number of drink-driving casualties of all severities has steadily decreased over the past decade.

Drink-drive fatalities made up 18% of all road deaths in 2022, according to the new statistics.

Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart called the data ‘deeply concerning’. Policy and public affairs manager, William Porter, said it "worryingly shows a dangerous upward trend for the second year running.”

The charity suggested more resources should be made available ****for police to carry out random roadside breathalyser testing, plus more rehabilitation courses. The National Police Chiefs' Council's lead for roads policing, chief constable Jo Shiner, called for stronger, more effective legislation "which enables policing and other agencies to... (revoke) the licence of those who offend more quickly.”

IAM RoadSmart added that "the UK Government should give serious consideration to reviewing and reducing the drink-drive limit in England and Wales."

AA president Edmund King added that it was a "tragedy that drink-drive fatalities are still so high" and said road deaths "should be decreasing". He called for more police "in cars to act as a visual deterrent and more campaigns to show the utter carnage caused by drivers' actions".

While deaths related to drink-driving were at their highest level in more than a decade - the statistics painted a different picture when injuries were included.

Across both these categories, 2022 saw 6,800 people either killed or injured when at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit. Although this is up 1% on the previous year, it is the third lowest figure recorded since 1979.

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