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August Sees Most Drink-Drive Crashes: Shocking Summer Trend
11 Aug
Summary
- August leads as the worst month for drink-drive crashes, not December.
- An average of 721 people were killed or injured in August drink-drive collisions.
- Alcolocks and stricter penalties are proposed to tackle repeat offenders.
New research reveals that August is the peak month for drink-drive crashes in the UK. Between 2014 and 2024, an average of 721 people were killed or injured during August in collisions involving drivers under the influence of alcohol. This figure is higher than July's average of 704 casualties, and even surpasses December's average of 663.
Experts suggest that warmer weather, extended daylight hours, holidays, festivals, and barbecues create more opportunities and temptations for people to drink and then drive. Enforcement during summer months is therefore crucial for public safety.
To address the persistent issue of repeat drink-driving, where nearly 28,000 British motorists were convicted multiple times in an 11-year period, stronger measures are advocated. These include the potential introduction of court-ordered alcolocks, devices that require a breath test before a vehicle can be driven.
Statistics also indicate that from 2022 to 2024, an average of 99 motorists per day received drink-drive licence endorsements. Drivers aged 25-39 were the most frequent offenders, followed by the 40-65 and 17-24 age groups.
