Updated: 05:06 EDT, 5 September 2025
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Nearly 100 motorists per day have been caught drink-driving on average over the past three years, new analysis shows.
Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, which obtained the data, said the alarming statistics demonstrate the need for 'a shift in mindset' as reports last month suggest the Government is plotting to clampdown with stricter drink-driving limits as part of the long-awaiting road safety strategy.
A review of DVLA records found that 108,000 motorists in Britain received drink-drive endorsements on their licence between 2022 and 2024.
That is an average of 99 per day.
Drivers aged 25 to 39 were the worst offenders, with 48,000 caught.
That was followed by those aged 40 to 65 (40,000 caught) and 17 to 24 (15,000 caught).
Just 3,000 drivers older than 65 were convicted of drink-driving during the same period.
Some 108,000 motorists in Britain received drink-drive endorsements on their licence between 2022 and 2024. That is an average of 99 per day
The figures were obtained from the DVLA in response to a Freedom of Information request.
IAM RoadSmart estimated that for someone whose job requires them to drive, the potential cost of being caught drink-driving is up to £80,000 based on factors such as lost earnings, legal fees, higher insurance premiums and a fine.
Motorists convicted of drink-driving in the UK usually lose their licence for at least 12 months although offenders may be offered a reduced ban if they complete a rehabilitation course.
They also face a fine and possible imprisonment.
Latest Department for Transport (DfT) figures show an estimated 260 people were killed in crashes on Britain's roads involving at least one driver over the legal alcohol limit in 2023.
Approximately 1,600 people were seriously injured.
A DfT spokesperson said: 'We want all road users to travel safely, and there are already strict penalties in place for those who are caught drink-driving.
'We are committed to improving road safety, and our well-established Think! campaign is designed to reduce the number of those killed and injured on our roads, particularly targeting young men.
'Road safety measures have not been reviewed for over a decade, and we will set out the next steps for our strategy for road safety in due course.'
The road safety strategy could also force drivers older than 70 to take eye tests every three years and could be banned if they fail them.
The government's plans are expected to be published this autumn, with some insiders suggesting that the motoring shake-up could be as drastic as those brought in by Sir Tony Blair in 2008, when he announced the Road Safety Act.
It could bring stricter punishments for uninsured drivers as well as motorists whose passengers fail to wear a seatbelt, if they already have points on their licence.
There could also be tests for medical conditions like dementia introduced to assess a person's fitness to drive.
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Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd