Drink-drive deaths at record high

The number of people killed in drink-drive crashes on Britain’s roads has reached an eight-year high.

Department for Transport (DfT) data shows there were between 230 and 270 fatalities in accidents where at least one driver or rider was over the alcohol limit in 2017.

The central estimate of 250 deaths is the most since 2009.

It represents an increase of 20 compared with 2016, although the DfT described this rise as “not statistically significant”.

The total number of people injured or killed in drink-drive crashes was 8,600 in 2017, down from 9,040.

Publication of the figures comes after recent research by road safety charity Brake found more than 5,000 motorists have been caught drink-driving on two or more occasions in the past four years.

The Scottish Government reduced the alcohol limit for drivers from 80 milligrammes (mg) per 100 millilitres of blood to 50mg in December 2014, but the legal level in the rest of the UK remains among the highest in Europe at 80mg.

Brake’s director of campaigns Joshua Harris said the increase is drink-drive deaths is “incredibly concerning”.

He went on: “How much longer must this continue before the government acts?

“The current drink-driving limit gives a false impression that it is safe to drink and drive. This is a dangerous message and one that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

AA president Edmund King said there continues to be a “hardcore of drink-drivers” as more than two-fifths of those failing breath tests are more than twice over the limit.

He continued: “As well as needing more cops in cars to catch people in the act, the ultimate responsibility lies with drivers themselves.”

RAC head of policy Nicholas Lyes claimed the figures show that “no discernible progress has been made” in reducing the number of drink-drive fatalities over nine years.