How many people die each year from drink and drug driving?
When it comes to drink and drug driving, many people are aware that it is illegal and yet many people still engage in it. The figures are quite astounding when you look at the number of people who are convicted every year. On average 100,000 drivers are convicted for either drink or drug driving.
Deaths
3,500 people are killed or seriously injured every year due to drink and drug driving incidents. Compared to the number of people that are convicted of drink and drug driving this figure may seem small, but that is 3,500 people who are killed because of other road users breaking the law.
Drink Driving
Any intake of alcohol can affect your ability to drive and thinking that one more drink can’t hurt is not sensible. Having a designated driver if you are going out drinking and intend to drive home afterwards is always sensible. It is not wise or fair to tempt that designated with alcohol when they’re going to be responsible for driving afterwards.
Drug Driving
The law concerning drug driving was changed on 2 March 2015 to make it easier for the police to catch and convict drug drivers. Like with drink driving, if there is a certain drug over a set level in your blood stream you can be arrested. There are seventeen illegal and legal drugs that are covered by the drug driving law. These include cannabis, cocaine ecstasy, ketamine, meth amphetamine, amphetamine, diazepam, methadone, morphine and temazepam. For more information about the drugs and legal limits please visit gov.uk’s drug driving page.
