Rate of drink-drive crashes hits 12-year high during Covid restrictions
Around 220 people were killed in road accidents involving illegal levels of alcohol in 2020
The ratio of deaths on UK roads involving drunk drivers reached its highest level for 11 years in 2020, provisional estimates released by the Department for Transport (DfT) have revealed.
Around 220 people were killed in road accidents where the driver was deemed to be over the legal drink-drive limit in 2020.
That figure – a central provision based on a wider estimate of "between 190 and 250 people" – represents 15.1% of all deaths reported in road accidents in 2020, up from 13.1% in 2019.
The DfT said: “It is important to note that the number of reported drink-drive accidents and casualties involved in them is likely to have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the national restrictions implemented from March 2020 onwards, leading to a reduction in traffic and accidents.
“The falls in [the number of] drink-drive accidents between 2019 and 2020 are broadly in line with the reduction in overall road accidents over the same period.”
Of the total 150,519 drivers involved in an accident, 58,536 were breathalysed. Some 3278, or a total of 2.2%, failed the breathalyser test.
The total number of crashes where at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit dropped by 14%, down to 4620. Around 1070 were labelled ‘serious accidents’.
Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “The increase in the proportion of these fatalities may be linked to some people consuming more alcohol during lockdown and more people avoiding public transport.
“Unfortunately, the consequences of heavier drinking at home seem to have had dire consequences on the roads in 2020. There has also been a reduction in breath tests administered, so to correct this, we need more cops in cars to target these totally irresponsible and dangerous drink-drivers.”
Drivers were most often caught drink-driving between 7pm and 11pm, accounting for 1298 of all failed breathalysers. Meanwhile, Friday was the most common day to be caught, accounting for 24,865 of the total 150,519 drivers caught.
Motoring charity IAM RoadSmart believes stronger government measures should be brought in to combat drink driving.
“A much smarter package of measures is needed from the government, including a lower drink-drive limit, to reinforce good behaviour, fast-track of evidential roadside testing machines to release police resources and tailored approaches to help drivers with alcohol problems,” said Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research.
Greig added: “More use of alcolocks – which require the driver to blow into a mouthpiece on the device before starting or continuing to operate the vehicle – and extra penalties such as vehicle forfeiture could all be part of a more joined-up approach to the problem.
“Hard core drink-drivers are simply not getting the message, and these figures will not improve until policy changes.”