December 16, 2015 11.46 am This story is over 100 months old

Lincolnshire worst in the country for drink driving crash rate

Drunk at the wheel: Drivers in Lincolnshire are more likely to be involved in a crash whilst under influence of alcohol than anywhere else in the country, figures have revealed.
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Drivers in Lincolnshire are more likely to be involved in a crash whilst under influence of alcohol than anywhere else in the country, figures have revealed.

A national study undertaken by Road Safety Analysis looked into the number of car drivers who had been drinking before a police-attended injury collision.

The overall UK trend highlighted that 2.7% of crashes involved drivers who were considered drunk at the wheel.

Against this figure, Lincolnshire topped the drink driving rates, with 71% of drivers more likely to be considered over the limit than the national norm.

The analysis of over half a million car drivers involved police-attended injury collisions between 2010 and 2014.

There was a significantly heightened problem in more rural areas of the country.

Car drivers who live in rural areas were 22% more likely to be impaired by alcohol at the time of a crash.

The figures were broken down by police force areas, with Lincolnshire considered the most likely area for drivers involved in crashes to be over the limit.

Car drivers from London were the least likely with a risk rate 63% lower than the average.

A map of drink driving rates across the country shows Lincolnshire drivers as being 71% more likely than the national average to be involved in a drink driving collision.

A map of drink driving rates across the country shows Lincolnshire drivers as being 71% more likely than the national average to be involved in a drink driving collision.

A spokesperson from Road Safety Analysis said: “The vast majority of British drivers are responsible and wouldn’t think twice about drinking and driving, and careful planning ahead in the party season means we are more likely to get a taxi home or share a lift.

“In rural areas this is much harder with the costs of getting home safely much more expensive than in our towns.

“Drivers are urged to plan ahead at all times of the year and to have ‘none for the road’, reducing the temptation to have an extra drink when you have already started.”