New DfT Research Reveals First Increase In 10 Years

Serious injury lawyers are calling for the Government and other authorities to step up efforts to tackle the issue of drink-driving, after worrying new figures revealed the number of deaths caused by driving under the influence has risen for the first time in a decade.

Provisional figures from the Department for Transport have revealed that 280 people were killed last year as a result of drink-driving, which marked an increase of 12 per cent from 2010.

In addition, the number of minor and serious injuries caused by drink drivers rose by three per cent across the period.

The research has been released just weeks after other worrying figures highlighted that the overall number of deaths of Britain’s roads reached 1,901 last year – the first increase in fatalities recorded since 2003.

Colin Ettinger, a serious injury specialist at Irwin Mitchell’s London office, represents victims left with life-changing injuries as a result of road collisions caused by drink-driving, as well as the loved ones of people killed in such crashes.

Commenting on the new figures, he said: “This is clearly a very worrying time in terms of road safety, with research pointing to an increase in road deaths and now a significant rise in fatalities as a result of driving under the influence.

“It is absolutely vital that drivers recognise the potential consequences that drink-driving can have. Through our work we have seen how people’s lives can be devastated by such incidents and we help such victims to gain justice and access to vital funds which allow them to get the best out of life.

“People need to remember that behind these figures are victims and families who have been left devastated and need to rebuild their lives after such incidents.

“We hope that such figures sound a warning to the Government, police and road safety organisations that work to tackle drink-driving is needed now as much as ever. Another increase in deaths and injuries simply cannot be allowed to occur in the future.”