A new analysis of police data has revealed that both the number of
officers on England’s roads and the number of breath tests they
have conducted have fallen by a quarter in the last five years.
Published today by the Institute of Alcohol Studies, ‘Running on empty:
Drink-driving law enforcement in England’ assesses nationally
published breath test figures alongside Freedom of Information
(FoI) responses from 35 police constabularies on the levels of
resources and enforcement committed to dealing with
drink-driving.
Reported figures show that anti-drink-driving enforcement
activity has fallen over the last five years, as frontline
officers have found themselves stretched, performing the duties
of other services. The number of dedicated Roads Policing
Officers reduced by 27% between 2011/12 and 2015/16, and that
there were 25% fewer breath tests in 2015 than in 2011 – a drop
of 149,677 breath tests. If breath testing had been maintained at
2011 levels, there would have been over a quarter of million
(260,681) more breath tests performed during this period. The
average roads policing budget for forces also steadily declined,
by almost a million pounds per force.
These figures have emerged among a backdrop of no significant
changes to drink drive deaths in the UK since 2010. England and
Wales stand apart from all other nations in Europe – including
Scotland and N. Ireland – in having a drink drive limit of 80mg
of alcohol per 100ml of blood; other nations’ limits are
50mg/100ml or lower. In addition to greater enforcement, research
suggests that if England and Wales followed suit, lowering the
limit would save at least 25 lives and prevent 95 serious
casualties a year, and £800 million in costs.
Such a move is also supported by road safety charities,
publicans, and the public – the latest British Social Attitudes
Survey showed more than three-quarters (77%) of people are in
favour of a lower limit.
Commenting on the findings, RAC Road Safety Spokesman Pete
Williams said:
‘Falling roads traffic police officer numbers are stretching
forces and one impact of this appears to be a reduction in
breathalyser tests which is a worrying development. RAC research
has found that around five million drivers believe they have got
behind the wheel while over the limit at least once in the past
year.
‘Our research also found there is extensive general public
support for a UK-wide reduction in the legal blood-alcohol limit
to 50 milligrams - as enforced in Scotland - or even to 20
milligrams, with six in 10 (59%) British motorists saying
they are in favour of this becoming law.’
IAS Chief Executive Katherine Brown said:
‘This report highlights the damaging impact of police cuts on the
ability of roads officers to do their job properly and enforce
the law against drink-driving. Where enforcement levels are on
the wane, more public campaigns would raise awareness about the
dangers of drink-driving, and a lower drink drive limit would
provide a cost-effective way of limiting the risk of people
getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.
‘While budgets continue to be squeezed, approximately 200 lives
are being lost on our roads to drink-drivers every year, and
although the Department for Transport says that is "200 too many",
stripping police forces of the resources needed to tackle
drink-driving may lead to worse outcomes in future.
'The UK has made great progress on drink-driving in the last 50
years; now our drink drive strategy is in need of an update for
the next 50.’
****** ENDS ******
Notes to Editors:
The report’s policy recommendations for the UK Government are as
follows:
-
Lower the drink drive limit to 50mg alcohol/100ml
blood: England and Wales are an outlier in Europe
(and indeed, much of the world). Evidence has demonstrated
reducing the limit to 50mg/100ml would be a life-saving measure
-
Enhanced enforcement of drink-driving
law: including enhanced powers for police to
conduct random roadside breath-testing of drivers and the
introduction of Mobile Evidential Breath Testing Equipment to
avoid delays in testing samples once drivers are pulled over
-
Mass media public education campaigns to ensure
understanding of the dangers and penalties of
drink-driving: High profile mass media campaigns
are needed to properly communicate drink-driving law, as well
as the dangers of drink-driving. These campaigns should be
government run, rather than industry partnerships
