7m drink-driving

SOME 44 per cent of motorists under 25 took to the wheel while knowingly over the drink-drive limit, research found.

They admitted putting lives at risk by driving either shortly after having a drink or on the following morning.

A fifth of drivers overall took the same risk in the last 12 months – equating to more than seven million motorists, the RAC’s report on motoring found.

Some 23 per cent admitted that they drove after a small alcoholic drink.

A lack of traffic officers and a dramatic fall in roadside breathalyser tests means drivers think they can get away with drink-driving, warn the RAC and AA.