2021 DfT statistics on drink-drive collisions and casualties

27 July 2023

The Department for Transport has released statistics on eported road casualties in Great Britain, involving illegal alcohol levels: 2021.

Overall, 5% of casualties in reported road collisions in 2021 occurred in collisions in which at least one driver or rider was over the drink-drive limit. This varied across the countries of Great Britain. Scotland has a lower drink-drive limit (22 micrograms (mg) per 100 millilitres (ml) of breath or 50 mg per 100ml of blood) than England and Wales (35 mg per 100ml of breath or 80 mg per 100ml of blood).

The percentage of all casualties which occurred in drink-drive collisions was the highest in Wales at 7.3% followed by England at 5.2% and Scotland at 4.1%

Estimates for 2021 show that between 240 and 280 people were killed in collisions in Great Britain where at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit, with a central estimate of 260 deaths.

Overall, an estimated 6,740 people were killed or injured when at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit. This represents an increase of 4% from 6,450 in 2020 and is the second lowest figure recorded since 1979.

The prevalence of drink-driving in road deaths has fallen over time. In 1979, 26% of road deaths occurred in collisions where at least one driver or rider was over the drink-drive limit. This had fallen to 15% by 1989. Since then the percentage of road deaths that are drink-drive related has varied between 12% and 18%. In 2021, the rate was 17%.

The number of reported drink-drive collisions and casualties involved in them are likely to have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years, with increases in 2021 following reductions in the previous year.