Despite drink-driving being on the rise, the number of roadside breath tests being carried out is at a record low…
Roadside Breath Tests at Record Low
Despite evidence suggesting alcohol consumption is on the rise, the number of roadside breath tests carried out by police forces was at a record low between 2020 / 21. Some 252,069 drivers were tested over the 12-month period, which represents an 18% decline from the previous year. There’s been a significant and consistent decline since 2009, when 703,490 breath tests were carried out.
Worryingly, 17.2% of the drivers tested over the last year were over the legal limit. A report recently published by Public Health England discovered that the sale of alcohol in supermarkets and shops rose by 25% between 2019 and 2020. The number of people dying in alcohol-related road collisions also rose by 8% in 2019, with 2,050 people being killed or injured; the highest figure since 2011.
A Lack of Manpower?
Hunter Abbott, managing director of personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense, believes the dwindling number of tests is due to a lack of road police. He said, “separate Home Office figures show the number of dedicated roads policing officers in England and Wales had dropped to 3,850 by March 2021 compared with 5,220 in 2015 – a dramatic reduction of 26%. With ever-fewer traffic police, testing will continue to spiral downwards”.
He added, “studies show people drinking more alcohol since Covid struck, particularly at home – so roadside tests should actually be stepped up given the danger of ‘morning after’ driving with alcohol still in your system”. Abbot also emphasised that even relatively low levels of alcohol could cause serious accidents. He said, “even with 0.05mg/L of alcohol in breath the driver is 37% more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than when sober. If in any doubt, drivers should self-test with a personal breathalyser to ensure they’re completely clear of alcohol before getting behind the wheel”.
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