The number of people killed in drink-drive crashes on Britain’s roads has reached an eight-year high.

Department for Transport (DfT) data shows there were between 230 and 270 fatalities in accidents where at least one driver or rider was over the alcohol limit in 2017.

The median figure of 250 is the highest since 2009.

It is also an increase of 20 compared with 2016, although the DfT said the rise was not statistically significant.

The number of people killed or injured in drink-drive crashes was 8,600 in 2017, down from 9,040 the previous year.

Recent research by the road safety charity Brake found that more than 5,000 motorists had been caught drink-driving on two or more occasions in the past four years.

The Scottish government reduced the alcohol limit for drivers from 80 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood to 50 in December 2014, but the legal level in the rest of the UK remains among the highest in Europe at 80.

Brake’s director of campaigns, Joshua Harris, said the increase in drink-drive deaths was “incredibly concerning”.

“How much longer must this continue before the government acts?” he asked. “The current drink-driving limit gives a false impression that it is safe to drink and drive. This is a dangerous message and one that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

The AA president, Edmund King, said there continued to be a “hardcore of drink-drivers” as more than two-fifths of those failing breath tests are more than two times over the limit.

“As well as needing more cops in cars to catch people in the act, the ultimate responsibility lies with drivers themselves.,” he said.

The RAC’s head of policy, Nicholas Lyes, said the figures showed no discernible progress had been made in reducing the number of drink-drive fatalities over nine years.

“The government should be looking closely at all its options, even reviewing the drink-drive limit,” he said.

The Department for Transport said: “Drink driving is absolutely deplorable, and those who do it not only put their own lives at risk but other people’s too.

“We are working with industry to develop new evidential roadside breath tests, meaning drink drivers do not have the chance to sober up before being tested, while the THINK! Mates Matter campaign had the biggest impact in young drivers’ attitudes to drink driving in a decade.

“On top of this, our Road Safety Action plan, published in July, includes more than 70 different measures to help drive down the number of deaths on our roads.”



