14 April 2011

From Brake, the road safety charity
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Home Office statistics today revealed that the number of breath tests conducted on drivers suspected of drink driving in 2009 was 813,288, which is just 2% of drivers[1]. Click here for the Home Office statistical release.

The news comes as research out today by Brake and Direct Line shows that public perceptions of the likelihood of being caught if they risk drink-driving is low. More than half of drivers (53%) think there is a less than a one in four chance of being caught if they were to drive while over the limit, while nearly a third (31%) think there is less than a one in ten chance of being caught[2].

One in six road deaths are caused by drink drivers. In 2009 (the most recent figures available), there were seven deaths and 28 serious injuries every week in Britain caused by drink drivers who were over the limit[3].

In March 2011, the Government announced that it will not lower the drink drive limit or introduce random breath-testing, despite recommendations from parliament’s Transport Select Committee and an independent review by Sir Peter North. Instead the Government said they would make it easier for the police to enforce current laws by streamlining breath testing procedures. Read the Department for Transport’s press release and full report.

While the Government wishes to concentrate on enforcement of current drink drive limits, there is evidence that it will become even harder for police to do this. In 2010, Government funding cuts to policing resulted in some police force areas cutting the number of traffic police by more than half[4].

International evidence shows that when drivers know they are unlikely to ‘get away with it’, they are much less likely to risk drink driving[5]. Read Brake’s factsheet on drink drive enforcement, including international case studies, here.

Brake’s calls for action in the UK:

• Police powers should be increased to enable targeted, random breath-testing of drivers without the need to suspect impairment. This type of high-profile enforcement, used successfully in many other countries, has been shown to be a highly effective (and cost-effective) deterrent.
• Traffic policing should be made a national policing priority, with sufficient investment in this area to enable a significant increase in numbers of breath-tests.
• The drink drive limit should be reduced to 20mg alcohol per 100ml blood, effectively a zero-tolerance limit, as any amount of alcohol can impair driving[6].

Julie Townsend, Brake’s campaigns director, said: “The number of breath tests being carried is wholly inadequate in providing an effective deterrent and tackling the appalling number of casualties that continue to result from drink driving. As well as rejecting proposals for a lower drink drive limit, the Government has rejected random breath testing, a policy that we know to be effective from international evidence. At the same time we are seeing big cuts to traffic policing and a freeze on high-profile media campaigns on drink driving. Brake supports people who have been bereaved or injured through road crashes, so we understand the devastating impact these decisions have on people’s lives. The Government needs to urgently strengthen our position on drink driving before more lives are lost.”

Andy Goldby, Director of Motor Underwriting at Direct Line Insurance said: “Drink driving is one of the most serious crimes a driver can commit and one that needs to be tackled with real conviction. If we are to make any headway into achieving our goal of the safest roads in the world, we need to ensure that the right laws, limits and learning are in place here in the UK.”

Click here for information on Brake’s campaign for zero tolerance on drink driving.
Click here for Brake’s response to the Government announcement not to lower the drink drive limit.

Read Brake’s full recommendations for Government action on drink and drug driving submitted to the Transport Select Committee inquiry in 2010.

[1] 36,535,724 driver licences held in the UK in 2009. Information received from Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency through a freedom of information request.

[2] Direct Line Report on Safe Driving 2009 – 2011 PART TWO, Brake and Direct Line, 2010

[3] Reported Road Casualties Great Britain 2009, Department for Transport, 2010

[4] See http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/8941466.Cost_cutting_hits_traffic_police/ and http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1406084_dozens_of_traffic_officers_facing_the_axe_in_greater_manchester_police_cuts

[5] World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention, (World Health Organization, 2004)

[6] Alcohol Consumption Impairs Detection of Performance Errors in Mediofrontal Cortex, K. Richard Ridderinkhof et al, Science, 2002