Drink driving is a serious threat on UK roads. According to recent figures, nearly 100 drivers a day have had drink-drive endorsements added to their licences over the past three years. This research, conducted by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart also warned that young professionals aged 25 to 29 are the worst offenders, with around 48,000 drivers in this age group having been caught out.
A growing road safety crisis
In 2022, data from the Department for Transport revealed that deaths related to drink driving were at their highest since 2009. This number was 16% higher than in 2021 and, at the time, meant drink drive fatalities accounted for around 18% of all road deaths.
In 2024, William Porter, IAM RoadSmart’s policy manager, said: “It is deeply concerning that drink-drive related fatalities are at their highest level since 2009, and worryingly shows a dangerous upward trend for the second year running.”
What is the drink driving limit?
The rules on drink driving and alcohol limits are clearly laid out on the government website. England, Wales and Northern Ireland all have the same limits, but Scotland has different limits to the rest of the UK.
| Level of alcohol | England, Wales and Northern Ireland | Scotland |
| Micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath | 35 | 22 |
| Milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood | 80 | 50 |
| Milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine | 107 | 67 |
These numbers are strictly followed when assessing alcohol limits; however, it’s difficult to say exactly how many alcoholic drinks the numbers equate to as it can be different for each person.
The way alcohol can affect an individual depends on a number of factors, including:
- Weight, age, gender and metabolism
- The type of alcohol being consumed
- Whether the person has eaten recently and what food has been eaten
- Stress levels at the time
What happens if you get caught drink driving
Police have the right to ask anyone who they suspect has been drinking and is driving, attempting to drive, or is in charge of a vehicle to take a breath test, also known as a breathalyser. If you refuse to provide a breath sample for the breath test without a reasonable excuse, you can be arrested.
There are strict penalties if you are caught drink driving over the limit. If you are found guilty, you could be banned from driving, fined or even sent to prison. The decision made will depend on the severity of the drink driving offence and is generally decided in court. There is also the possibility that the court may offer a reduced ban if the driver completes a drink-drive rehabilitation scheme course (DDRS).
The cost of being caught drink driving
If you are caught drink driving, aside from the legal penalties, there are also other problems you could face. These include:
- Your car insurance cost could increase significantly
- If you need to drive for work, you should declare your conviction to your employer and it will be visible on your licence
- You may have trouble travelling to other countries, such as the USA
In addition to this, further research from IAM RoadSmart indicates that the cost of drink-driving has the potential to reach up to £80,000 for an individual. This is a 15% increase on previous research from five years ago.
The financial cost “consists of the loss of 15 months’ worth of salary equal to £46,800, legal fees of £13,600, fines costing up to £5,000, public transport costs of up to £2,500 and a £13,700 cost for increased insurance premiums with the drink driving endorsement remaining on an individual’s licence over the course of 11 years”.
What are the solutions to the drink driving problem
When travelling from an event where you have been consuming alcohol, one of the easiest preventative measures you can take is to ensure you have a plan for if you are over the limit. This way, you can ensure you and other road users have a safe drive home.
What you can do:
- Plan your journey: If you’re out with friends, decide ahead of time who is going to be doing the driving. This way there will be no blurred lines around who’s responsibility it is to get everyone home safely.
- Insure your nominated designated driver: Before the event, you should ensure your nominated driver is able to get insured on the car they need to drive. With short-term car insurance you can get a quote ahead of time for the policy to be active exactly when and for how long you need the cover.
- Share the drive: You can offer to share the driving responsibilities with your friends, and both get insured on the same car. Nominate one person to do the drive to your event and someone else to do the drive home, this way the responsibility is shared.
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