Drink Driving Statistics Around the World

Operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol is illegal in the UK and the vast majority of the world's countries, with few exceptions. As such, there is general worldwide legal unanimity in viewing the act as an offence. The only disparity between countries lies in the laws that govern drink driving, which differ substantially across borders - even within the UK.

According to the European Commission, 25% of all deaths on the road in the EU are alcohol-related. Worldwide, of the estimated 1.25 million annual road deaths, 273,000 are thought to have involved at least one drunk driver.

Below, we will examine drink driving statistics around the world to see which countries are falling behind, as well as the policies that have saved lives abroad. The UK must learn from these approaches and improve its own laws, in order to reduce the rate of fatalities induced by alcohol.

The worst offenders

As reported in recent statistics on drink driving worldwide, one of the worst offending countries in the world for drink driving is South Africa. In 2019, data from the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) shows that 27% of fatal road accidents are caused by drunk driving, but 2015 data shows as many as 58% of road traffic fatalities in South Africa were once caused by drink drive accidents.

The worst offending countries are geographically spread out worldwide. One country where 38% of all road fatalities involved alcohol neighbours the UK: Ireland. The country saw an 11% increase between 2016 and 2017 in arrests on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. 

For the total volume of road deaths associated with alcohol, few countries have a worse rate than the US. Every day, an estimated 28 people die in drink-driving accidents, or one every 52 minutes. Statistics from 2019 indicate a downward trend for this offence, and the year recorded the lowest in deaths since reporting began in 1982. Even still, this figure was 10,142 for the year.

Trendsetters

On the other side of the scale, some countries consistently report an impressively low rate of road deaths due to drink-driving. At the top of this list sits Sweden, which only reported 25 road deaths of drivers due to alcohol in 2018, and estimates a total of just 15 road deaths caused by alcohol in 2019. 

While the USA's percentage of fatalities caused by drinking lies at a sizeable 31%, two countries consistently report under ten per cent: Germany and Russia. Both countries report that only 9% of deaths on the road are caused by alcohol consumption.

Some countries have a policy of zero tolerance for alcohol in the driver's system, which is another approach to prevent drink drive-related deaths and injuries. These include Pakistan, Cuba, Indonesia, Romania, Jordan and Nigeria. This stringent rule allows for no ambiguity - if you have consumed alcohol, you are not allowed to get behind the wheel. The results have been successful, with Romania only recording 1,164 intoxicated car drivers being involved in road traffic accidents in 2020.

How does the UK compare?

Though police in the UK do not systematically test road users killed in a road accident for alcohol, the UK has generally reported encouraging figures. However, the most recent UK drink driving statistics have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and indicate that there are still steps to be taken to prevent drink driving and drink drive collisions.

A 2020 study by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) showed that in 2018, in Great Britain, between 210-240 road users were killed in collisions in which a vehicle operator was over the alcohol limit. The number equates to around 13% of all road deaths for the year. In 2021, the most recent year for which statistics are available, this estimate rose to between 240 and 280 drink drive casualties, representing a 15.55% increase in the central estimate.

In 2020, an estimated 7,800 people were either killed or injured in an accident involving at least one driver over the legal alcohol limit. This is a 10% fall from 2018 figures, which showed that 8,680 fatalities and injuries on the road involved alcohol. Again, while this seems to be an encouraging statistic, the government has emphasised that the COVID-19 pandemic played a significant role in reducing the number of reported drink drive collisions in 2020 and 2021.

As such, there is still some way to go to reduce the number of drink drive fatalities and injuries to zero.

What can we learn?

As we have seen, several countries consistently report figures indicating that the number of drink-driving offences could be reduced in the UK. Germany, for example, has much stricter drink driving laws than the UK. In Germany, a BAC of 0.05% can lead to a €500 fine, one-month driving suspension and two points reduction on your driver's licence - for a first offence.

Sweden takes a leading approach to the fines involved when someone is caught drink driving. Fines are calculated based on an individual's wealth, and adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, repeat offenders have their vehicle seized and scrapped.

As an additional safety precaution, Sweden's government encourages the use of ignition interlocks in commercial or consumer transport of all kinds, including fleet companies, trains and ferries. An ignition interlock device is a personal breathalyser that obliges the driver to blow into a mouthpiece, taking a BAC reading, to be able to start the ignition. Such safeguarding measures lead to only 3% of Sweden's road fatalities involving alcohol.

The UK's legal limit for BAC is relatively high compared to the rest of the world, but some countries go a step further. For example, countries like Germany, France, New Zealand, Japan and Thailand have a lower drink drive limit for young drivers, or those who have only recently passed their driving tests. In all of these countries, the drink drive limit for young or inexperienced drivers is 0% BAC, although the definitions of how and to whom the rule applies differ in each case.

What is the UK drink drive limit for blood alcohol concentration?

The BAC limit for driving in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80 milligrammes (mg) of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, which is equivalent to 0.08% BAC. Depending on the type of sample you are asked to give, the limit may be rendered as 35 micrograms per 100 ml of breath or 107 mg per 100 ml of urine. This is one of the highest limits in Europe and around the world.

Scotland has a lower drink drive limit than England and Wales. Drivers can receive drink drive offences if blood alcohol levels reach 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, or 0.05% BAC. This equates to 22 micrograms of alcohol in 100 ml of breath, or 67 mg in 100 ml of urine.

People often ask how much alcohol or how many drinks this equates to. In fact, it is impossible to estimate, because alcohol affects every person differently. The only safe approach is to not drink any alcohol at all if you are intending to drive.

What are the potential penalties for driving with too much alcohol in your system?

The penalties for drink driving can be severe and vary depending on the specific circumstances of the offence. While we have noted that UK penalties are not as strict as those in Sweden, they scale based on factors like the level of alcohol in your system and whether you caused any harm. You may also be charged with careless driving or another related offence that can cause penalties to stack up.

The maximum potential sentence if you are in charge of a vehicle while above the legal limit or unfit through drink is up to three months' imprisonment, a fine of up to £2,500 and a possible driving ban. This means that even if you are not driving, you are at risk of legal trouble if you are in or around your car. Driving or attempting to drive while above the legal limit or unfit through drink can result in up to six months' imprisonment, an unlimited fine and a driving ban of at least one year, depending on the specifics of the offence. If you are convicted twice within a ten-year period, the minimum driving ban is at least three years for a conviction of driving while above the legal limit.

If you refuse to provide a specimen for analysis when the authorities suspect you are over the drink driving limit, this will usually be subject to the same penalties as if it was proven that you were drink driving. As such, the penalties include up to six months' imprisonment, an unlimited fine and a driving ban of at least one year.

Repeat offenders or those with very high alcohol levels face even more severe penalties, including longer driving bans and possible vehicle forfeiture. While this approach punishes those whose reckless behaviour leads to drink drive casualties, it may not be effective as a preventative measure to minimise the risk of drink drive collisions. A coordinated approach between prevention and punishment is needed to reduce the rate of drivers drinking alcohol and the number of reported road collisions in which at least one driver was affected by alcohol or drugs.