A Freedom of Information Request from the DVLA has found that Lancashire has one of the worst records for drink driving in the country with a total of 9,550 convictions in the last seven years.
Lancashire sits in seventh place, with London, the West Midlands, and Greater Manchester occupying the top three spots.
Of the 9,550 convictions, 8,778 were for first-time offenders while 679 were on their second offence. A total of 80 appeared before the courts for their third offence and 13 for their fourth.
Inspector Rob Conolly-Perch of Lancashire Police said: “In Lancashire, we take all reports of drink or drug-driving seriously and will not stand for people being put at risk on the road.
“Our first choice is always to educate people on the dangers of impaired driving, but where this fails we will turn to enforcement. Those caught breaking the law in this way will be dealt with robustly and proportionately.”
“Detecting drink and drug drivers is part and parcel of our daily business, but we also carry out targeted activity throughout the year.
“One such operation is Op Virage, where we act on information from members of the public. This information can be given to us by calling 101, reporting it online at https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk or by calling 999 if somebody is in immediate danger.
“If you drive under the influence of drink or drugs you put yourself and others at risk of serious injury or even death, and it is never, ever worth it.”
Across the UK there were 47,280 convictions for drink driving in 2021, some 5,000 more than in 2020.
The legal drink driving limit in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is 35mcg alcohol per 100ml breath, 80mcg per 100ml blood, or 107mcg per 100ml urine. The limit in Scotland is considerably lower, in line with most of the rest of Europe, at 22mcg alcohol per 100ml breath.
The list below shows the top ten UK Police forces with the highest number of drink driving convictions recorded between 2015 and 2022.
- Metropolitan Police Service; 32,715
- West Midlands Police; 15,795
- Greater Manchester Police; 13,739
- West Yorkshire Police; 12,697
- Thames Valley Police; 11,978
- Strathclyde Police; 10,662
- Lancashire Constabulary; 9,550
- Hampshire Constabulary; 9,243
- Devon and Cornwall Police; 9,042
- Kent Police; 8,725
Dan Gick, managing director of Scrap Car Comparison which compiled the data, said: “When it comes to drinking and driving, we all know that there are significant risks, as well as penalties involved.
“We know better than to go out on a heavy drinking session and attempt to drive home, but the problems lie where people are trying their luck and thinking that they can do the maths to work out how much they can get away with.
“I’m sure many people will also be surprised to learn that you don’t have to be legally over the drink-drive limit to receive a penalty, and given that how we react to alcohol can be influenced by many different factors, we can’t always predict how we may seem after just one or two beers or cocktails.
“As the recent DVLA data reveals, many drivers have unfortunately been caught out and punished for drink driving offences, even if they’re not found to be driving a vehicle while under the influence.
“Some people will feel comfortable with having one alcoholic drink then driving home, but as a general rule, it’s safer to avoid driving after drinking alcohol altogether and ensure you have other means of transport available. Safety of yourself and other road users should always come before convenience.”
About Carl Millar
Carl Millar is a highly respected and experienced drink driving solicitor who is the principal of Millars Solicitors.
Carl has been a specialist in road traffic law for many years and represents clients from all walks of life and all over the Country. He is well known for the dogged defending of his clients and robust cross examination of police officers and exert witnesses.
With a wealth of expertise in motoring law Carl is well placed to provide advice over the phone and deal with all road traffic matters in a calm and professional way.
Getting in contact with Carl and Millars Solicitors is really easy. You can call him FREE on 0800 999 5535, or click here to send a confidential message.
