The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Scotland sees biggest rise in drink-driving
ALCOHOL: Drink-driving offences up by 13% as rates fall elsewhere in the UK
Despite police and government initiatives, the proportion of motorists in Scotland willing to drink and drive has soared more than elsewhere in the UK.
New research has revealed drinkdriving offences in the country increased by 13% last year – the biggest hike seen by any region across the UK.
New Freedom of Information data obtained by Confused.com, the insurance comparison site, revealed 5,932 drivers in Scotland failed roadside breath tests in 2016, up from 5,248 in the previous year.
This bucks the trend experienced by most regions across the UK, many of which were celebrating a drop in the number of drink-drivers, with the total number of offences falling from 58,439 to 57,255 (-2%). In fact, Scotland is among the few regions which have seen an increase.
With the festive season in full swing, drivers in Scotland are no doubt looking forward to letting loose and celebrating Christmas.
However, this is also the time of year that drivers should be particularly cautious. Last year, 569 of Scotland’s offences took place in December, accounting for 10% of the total for the year.
Alcohol consumption has long been a public health concern north of the border and the Scottish Government’s minimum unit pricing for alcohol will come into force from May 2018.
Confused.com said it remained to be seen whether this would curb Scottish drivers’ alcohol habits.
“Almost a third (30%) admit they have driven after drinking. Yet it is clear from the data that police in Scotland were out in full force to man the safety of the region’s roads,” said a spokesman.
“With motorists in Scotland enjoying festive tipples, the research shows that, worryingly, some are likely to still be over the limit the morning after a night out drinking.
“In fact, one in five (20%) drivers in the region admit they have got behind the wheel in the morning, despite not knowing whether they were over the legal limit.
“This is worrying, given almost a third (30%) of Scotland’s drivers say they generally still feel drunk or unable to drive after a night of drinking.”
Confused.com has created a morningafter calculator, so motorists can work out when they should be alcohol-free, and sober enough to get behind the wheel, based on their weight and alcohol intake.
However, the spokesman added: “Worryingly, one in six (17%) drivers in Scotland either don’t know the legal alcohol limits, or how many units are in their favourite drink, which could explain why drink-driving levels in the region are so high.”