Police have intensified their efforts to conduct roadside breath tests in response to a rise in fatalities caused by drunk drivers.
Today’s data reveals that the number of motorists breathalysed by Police in England and Wales in 2022 increased by 8% compared to the previous year, totaling 249,542 tests.
Nearly 17% of drivers tested were found to be over the legal alcohol limit, a percentage comparable to the previous two years.
In 2021, there were 260 deaths on Britain’s roads where a motorist was found to be over the drink drive limit, marking the highest figure since 2009. Department for Transport figures estimate that drunk drivers accounted for 17% of road deaths, resulting in a total of 6,740 people killed or injured in drink drive accidents.
“We’re pleased to see an increase in the number of dedicated road policing officers, which has led to stricter enforcement,” comments Hunter Abbott, managing director of personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense. According to Home Office figures, there were 3,960 traffic officers by March 2023, a 2% increase from the previous year.
“However, our testing levels still lag far behind other European countries. In England & Wales, only 5 tests per 1,000 inhabitants are carried out. In comparison, Ireland conducts 18 tests per 1,000 population, while France conducts 109,” Abbott added.
Another factor contributing to the increase in breathalyser tests in 2022 is the return of traffic to normal levels following the Covid lockdown restrictions and the football World Cup in November and December.
Research indicates that at the current drink drive limit in England & Wales, individuals are 13 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than when sober.