The problem of drink driving is one which never seems to disappear and the recent extended Bank Holiday of partying is sure to have led to an increase in the crime, which sometimes can have fatal consequences.
New data published this week has shown that far from the problem being spread evenly across the country, there are some parts of the UK which seem to have a bigger problem than most. The analysis, by The Compensation Experts, focused on government data from the last five years to pinpoint which regions were particularly bad for drink driving. Based on the number of accidents per 100,000, the roads of the West Midlands are the most dangerous, with a shocking 89.48 accidents per 100k people. It’s a stunning statistic, particularly when compared to its nearest rival, the South East which has 57 accidents per 100,000 population.
At the other end of the scale, Scotland has the lowest rate, though that’s probably due to there being less people and drivers, however London being second bottom of the list may surprise some.
“These stats show a surprising disparity between accidents in the West Midlands and the rest of the UK. While the majority of regions share fairly close accident levels, the West Midlands strides ahead, making it the drink driving capital of the UK,” said the report.
“Interestingly, London and Scotland have comparatively fewer drink driving accidents than the rest of the country, though this is likely due to London’s excellent transport network and Scotland’s laws on the sale of alcohol after hours.”
The report also investigated the age of those responsible for drink driving offences, and while it is true that it is predominantly a problem for younger drivers, it is actually the 60-69 age bracket which was top of the list when it comes to failing breathalyser test.
The UK’s Drink Driving Hotspots
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The West Midlands – 89.48
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The South East – 57
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The East Midlands – 56.32
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The East of England – 51.16
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The South West – 49.86
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Yorkshire and Humberside – 43.57
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Wales – 42.41
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The North West – 39.18
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The North East – 37.26
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London – 34.29
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Scotland – 28.05