The DfT has published its latest estimates of drink-drive collisions and casualties, showing a welcome reduction in fatalities and serious injuries during 2024, although the overall number of casualties has remained broadly unchanged.
The figures estimate that between 190 and 250 people were killed in drink-drive collisions during 2024, with a central estimate of 220 fatalities. This represents a 16% reduction compared with the 2023 central estimate of 260 deaths.
The number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) in drink-drive collisions also fell, declining by 6% from around 1,860 in 2023 to approximately 1,740 in 2024.
However, the total number of casualties of all severities changed very little year-on-year, increasing slightly from around 6,310 in 2023 to approximately 6,350 in 2024.
The annual publication estimates the number of reported road collisions in Great Britain involving at least one driver or rider over the legal alcohol limit.
As with previous years, the figures are estimates because they rely on coroners’ and procurators fiscal data that are not immediately available following collisions.
Reacting to the statistics, the Lock Out Drink Driving Campaign said that while any reduction in drink-drive deaths is welcome, but fatality figure “remains an appalling and entirely preventable toll”.
The campaign says: “Behind every number is a family grieving and a community living with the lasting consequences of someone choosing to drive while impaired.
“For far too long, drink-driving has remained a stubborn stain on Britain’s roads, despite being one of the most preventable causes of death and serious injury. It is time to turn words into action and for the Government to embrace practical, evidence-led measures that can stop an impaired driver before they put the key in the ignition.
“Alcohol interlocks can provide a final line of defence by preventing a vehicle from starting when a driver is over the limit, stopping a potentially fatal journey before it begins. The technology to save lives already exists. We now need the Government to act with urgency, publish its response to the road safety consultation and set out a clear route towards putting this proven intervention into practice.”
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