HC Deb 18 December 2003 vol 415 cc1011-2W
Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of drivers killed in traffic accidents were over the legal blood alcohol limit, in the last five years for which data are available. [144552]

Mr. Jamieson

The following table shows the percentage of drivers or riders killed in traffic accidents over the legal blood alcohol limit over the last five years.

Percentage of Drivers and riders killed in road accidents over the legal blood alcohol limit

Percentage over limit
1998 11
1999 9
2000 10
2001 10
20021 11
1Provisional data

Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the key characteristics of drink drive casualties are, broken down by(a) age, (b) gender, (c) time of day, (d) month of year and (e) mode of travel; and if he will list the measures he has put in place to combat drinking and driving. [144554]

Mr. Jamieson

The most recent road casualty statistics are contained in "Road Casualties Great Britain 2002: Annual Report", a copy of which is in the House Library.

These show that:

  1. (a) About one third of all drink-drive casualties are aged 16–24;
  2. (b) Around one third of drink-drive casualties are female;
  3. (c)Nearly half of all failed breath tests occur between 10pm and 4am, and around half the drivers killed between those times had a blood alcohol level above the limit;
  4. (d)There are more drink-drive accidents and casualties during the summer and autumn months than during winter and spring;
  5. (e)The large majority of casualties in drink-drive accidents are car occupants, with only a small percentage among pedestrians and cyclists.

As regards anti-drink-driving measures, the law has been changed to make drivers who cause death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs take an extended driving test and the maximum penalty for this offence will shortly be increased from 10 to 14 years' imprisonment. Blood samples may now be taken from unconscious, hospitalised drivers suspected of committing drink-drive offences in order to make it easier to prosecute them. The option of referring drink-drive offenders to rehabilitation courses has been extended to courts throughout Great Britain as a means of reducing re-offending. The Government's drink-driving publicity campaigns are being extended to run at different times and in a variety of media throughout the year, rather than just at Christmas and in the summer.

In addition, the Government have announced its intention to strengthen police powers to carry out evidential breathtesting at the roadside. We are also planning to introduce mandatory retesting as a penalty for repeat drink-drive offenders and are assessing the potential effectiveness of breath alcohol ignition interlock devices as a further form of intervention to deal with drink-drive offenders.