Drink Drive casualties remain high

8 August 2017

Final estimates for 2015 show that 200 people were killed in collisions in Great Britain where at least one driver was over the drink drive limit.

Further detail is available here.

While the number of fatalities fell year-on-year by 40 (17%), the DfT says ‘although the central estimate for 2015 is lower than the figure for 2014, the difference is not statistically significant* and continues a period of stability recorded since 2010’.

The figure represents about 12% of all deaths in reported road accidents in 2015. The figures also show that there were an estimated 1,370 KSIs in 2015 as a result of drink-drive collisions - a ‘statistically significant’ rise of 5% from 1,310 in 2014. This figure is also the first increase since 2011.

The estimated total number of collisions where at least one driver was over the alcohol limit rose by 2% to 5,730.

Comparing the 2015 figures to the 2010/14 average, the number of deaths fell by 16%, serious injuries by 1% and KSIs by 3% - although these figures are described by the DfT as ‘statistically insignificant’. The 8% fall in total casualties is, however, described as significant - as is the 8% fall in the number of collisions.

Looking at the relationship between alcohol and collisions, 1.6% of drivers involved in a road collision during 2015 failed a breath test. This figure rose to 12.9% between midnight and 4am on Saturday and Sunday mornings.