One in ten motorists admits to drink-driving as stigma declines in past four years
ONE in every ten people has driven after consuming alcohol in the past 12 months, according to new research by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).
The figure rises to a quarter of all drivers who have a history of being involved in collisions.
The RSA said that 14% of all male drivers have admitted to driving under the influence of drink and 6% of women drivers.
The research also showed that 14% of all those who drive for work had driven after consuming alcohol.
Almost one in three of those who admitted drinking and driving revealed that they had consumed two or more drinks on the last occasion, within the last 12 months.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of motorists surveyed agreed that ‘most of my acquaintances/friends think driving under the influence of alcohol is unacceptable’.
In comparison, in 2019, 85% of drivers surveyed agreed with this statement, which the RSA said was a ‘concerning decline’.
The results from the 2023 Behaviour and Attitudes survey of over 1,200 drivers were presented by the RSA at a Safe and Sober seminar yesterday, hosted by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC).
This seminar focused on drink-driving in Ireland as well as raising awareness about ‘Alcohol Ignition Interlock’ technology and rehabilitation programmes to help reduce the number of alcohol-related road deaths.
Alcohol ignition interlocks prevent a vehicle from starting if the driver exceeds the set breath alcohol limit. Currently, alcohol interlocks are used in Ireland only on a voluntary basis in the commercial transport sector.
Several EU countries, including Belgium, France, Lithuania and Poland now require alcohol ignition interlock devices in the cars of those who have engaged in drink-driving, particularly those who do so repeatedly.
Also presented at the seminar was the latest analysis from the Medical Bureau of Road Safety (MBRS).
It revealed that while the legal limit for the ordinary driver is 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, the average blood level for positive tests remains alarmingly high at 160 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood – over three times the limit. The highest recorded blood alcohol level was 415 milligrams.
These high levels were found in both younger and older drivers and in both men and women.
An Garda Síochána has confirmed that there were 8,863 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in 2023.
Liz O’Donnell, RSA chair, said: ‘Drink-driving is a behaviour that must no longer be tolerated in our society.’