§ Mrs. MayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many road deaths were attributable to drink driving in the last year; and in how many of those cases the driver was above the 80 milligram limit by a factor of two or more. [29764]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonIt is provisionally estimated that, in 1996, there were 540 deaths in a drink-drive accident, defined as a road accident in which at least one driver failed a breath or blood alcohol test, or refused to provide a test specimen. In drink-drive accidents where the driver was killed and subjected to a blood alcohol test, it is estimated that about half the drivers involved exceeded the 80 milligram limit by a factor of two or more. Information is not available on the extent to which drivers who were involved in fatal accidents but were not themselves killed, and who failed a breath test, exceeded the legal alcohol limit.