New figures published by the Home Office show that the instances of drink drive deaths in the UK have not dropped significantly since 2010, remaining steady based on 2018 data.

According to the data, 13 per cent of UK road deaths were drink-drive related in 2018, a figure which has remained relatively the same over eight years. Drink drive accidents of all kinds were in the region on 8700, which increased slightly compared to the previous year, and included 240 deaths. The total number of accidents involving at least one driver drunk rose a little higher, up 4 per cent to 5900 in 2018.

The fact that the figures are not rising or falling may seem insignificant, however when weighed against the evidence that the number of roadside breath tests have more than halved since 2009, to just under 321,000 from 670,000, then there could be a hidden number of drivers evading the law.

Following the 2020 publication of government data on drink-drive casualties in Great Britain, RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said:

"As these figures clearly show, the scourge of drink-drivers remains a serious problem in Great Britain. For nearly a decade there has been virtually no progress in reducing the number of fatalities involving a driver over the limit.

"A reduction in the drink-drive limit in England and Wales could be a better deterrent for some of these drivers, but there is also a clear need for more roads policing officers and stronger measures to tackle re-offending. On a more positive note, we know the Government is considering the use of 'alcolocks' which would be fitted to vehicles to stop past offenders from getting behind the wheel when over the limit."

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