During the past 10 years there has been no over-riding trend in the number of people killed or seriously injured in the UK as a result of drink-drive accidents despite year to year fluctuation. Provisional estimates for 2004 indicate a decrease of 7% from the previous year. The number of people killed in drink-drive accidents decreased to a low of 460 deaths in 1998 but has since increased to about 590 deaths in 2005. UK drink-drive limits, definitions, data sources and adjustments made to the statistics to allow for cases where data could not be obtained are described. Among car drivers drink-drive accidents were more likely in those aged under 30. There were insufficient data for motorcyclists to analyse by age group. Drink-drive accidents occured at all times of year but were less prevalent in January-March. Women were less likely to be involved in drink-drive accidents than men. The majority of car occupant casualties in drink-related accidents were over the limit but not driving. Around 900 casualties in drink-drive accidents were pedestrians or cyclists. For the covering abstract for this report see ITRD E127411.
Samenvatting