People planning to enjoy the FIFA World Cup in the North East are being urged to leave their car at home after the latest figures showed a quarter of road fatalities in the region last year involved a drink/drug driver – the highest number in five years.
Newly released figures show that in 2025, drivers impaired by drugs featured more frequently than drivers impaired by alcohol, with drugs featuring in 80% of impaired collisions, compared with 63% featuring alcohol, and 44% featuring both.
Pupils from Linthorpe Community Primary School in Middlesbrough have joined Road Safety GB North East (RGSB NE) and the region’s emergency services to help keep people safe on the roads during the tournament, which kicked off in Mexico on Thursday (11 June).
Peter Slater, Chair of RSGB NE, said: “We typically see the number of collisions involving drink/drug drivers going up during major football tournaments, so we’re appealing to people to do the right thing and avoid getting behind the wheel after drink or drugs.
“Stick to soft drinks or plan a lift or taxi home before you go out. One error of judgment could lead to fatal consequences. Enjoy the football but make sure you and the people you care about don’t take risks this summer.”
Peter said with the tournament taking place in the US, Mexico and Canada, all of the games will run late into the night and early hours in the UK, meaning people may still be over the limit the next morning.
Headteacher of Linthorpe Community Primary School, Grace Mitchell, said they were eager to join the road safety campaign in the hope that it would lead to fewer casualties this year.
“There is a strong sense of excitement across our diverse school community, as we look forward to the football this summer,” said the headteacher.
“We are proud to support this important road safety campaign, reminding our community to never mix drink or drugs with driving and to always make safety a top priority for themselves and others.”
Between 2021 and 2025, 1,315 people were injured in the North East in collisions involving a suspected drink/drug driver. Of those, 57 were tragically killed and 482 were seriously injured.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2024, the region saw an increase in drink/drug driving injuries on the day of and the day after England’s matches, with more than 60% of those injuries happening on match day.
On those days, drink/drug driving injuries rose from 5% to 13% of all injuries, while the proportion resulting in serious injury increased from 11% to 22%.
England’s first game of the 2026 World Cup tournament is due to take place at 9 pm on Wednesday (17 June), when the team takes on Croatia.
Acting sergeant David State, of Cleveland Police, said: “Alcohol and drugs can stay in your system far longer than many people realise. You can still be over the limit the following morning and if you choose to drive, you are taking that risk knowingly. There are no excuses.
“Driving under the influence is a deliberate decision that puts innocent lives in danger. Everyone has the right to use our roads safely and if you ignore that, you will face the consequences.”
It takes roughly one hour for one unit of alcohol to leave your body, but it could take longer depending on your gender, body type, size, and whether you have consumed food or medication. A large glass of wine or a strong pint of beer contains three units, which will take at least three hours to leave your system.
A spokesperson from Cleveland Fire Brigade said: “We attend many road traffic collisions, a significant number of which are preventable, including those caused by drink and drug driving. If you are driving, do not drink alcohol or take drugs. Plan ahead, choose a sober driver, and remember that driving is a privilege, not a right.”
Strategic roads policing inspector Andy Howarth, of Durham Roads and Armed Policing Unit, said: “We see firsthand the devastation that driving under the influence causes – it rips families apart and causes unimaginable suffering. Officers will be carrying out extra drink and drug drive checks whilst the World Cup is on.
“Make this World Cup memorable for the right reasons, not the life-destroying ones.”
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