Drink-drive deaths up 7% in a decade
Department for Transport statistics reveal an estimated 260 people died in crashes in 2023 in which a driver was over the alcohol limit.
That represented a 14% reduction on the previous 12 months, but a 7% increase from 2013.
Some 16% of road deaths in 2023 involved drink-driving.
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said: 'Drink-driving can have devastating consequences.
'While the latest drink-drive related fatality figures have declined on the previous year, the trend over the past decade is troubling and shows that we are stuck in a dangerous rut.
'We must redouble our efforts on enforcement, providing the police with the necessary tools to clamp down on drink-drivers while reviewing our approach to both first time and repeat offenders.'
The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood.
Nowhere else in Europe has a limit above 50mg/100ml.
The Scottish Government reduced its limit to that level in 2014.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'Every death on our roads is a tragedy and the safety of our roads is an absolute priority for this Government.
'Our well-established Think! campaign is designed to reduce the number of those killed and injured on our roads.
'More needs to be done in this space, which is why we are committed to delivering a new road safety strategy – the first in over a decade and will set out next steps in due course.'
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency statistics previously obtained by the PA news agency revealed 27,837 British motorists were convicted of drink-driving multiple times in the 11 years to July 20 2024.
Some 372 were caught at least four times, including four who were prosecuted on seven occasions.
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