More than 9,400 arrests have been made for drink and drug driving in Northern Ireland in the last three years, with 3,147 in the last year alone, a new investigation has revealed.
That's the second highest number of arrests recorded out of 32 UK police forces, coming behind only London’s Metropolitan Police.
According to data obtained by law firm Legal Expert via Freedom of Information Requests, between December 2021 and November 2024, the PSNI arrested 9,413 drivers who were under the influence of either drink or drugs. Of those, 83% resulted in a charge.
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Police also revealed the most prolific areas in Northern Ireland for drink and drug driving in the last year. Not surprisingly, Belfast came out on top with a total of 429 drivers charged in 2023/24.
It is followed by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon where 316 offenders were caught. A further 254 were charged in Derry City and Strabane as well as 246 in Mid Ulster.
The most common age group for those arrested in the last year was between 30-49, accounting for 55% of the figures, closely followed by 18-29 year-olds which made up 24%. Meanwhile, a staggering 81% of drink and drug-drivers arrested by PSNI in the last year were male.
Out of 34 UK police forces that responded to the Freedom of Information request within the deadline, the PSNI also reported the second-highest number of drink-driving arrests over the past three years.
The findings follow the latest data released by the Department for Transport in 2024 revealing that UK drink-driving deaths have hit a 13-year-high.
There were an estimated 300 deaths where at least one driver was over the legal blood-alcohol limit in 2022, the latest year for which official figures are available. This is the highest annual figure since 2009.
The number is 16% higher than in 2021 and means drink-drive fatalities accounted for about 18% of all deaths, bucking the general long-term trend for safer roads and more responsible driving.
Legal Expert’s Road Traffic Accident Specialist, Tracy Chick said: “Drink-driving is such an avoidable offence and there is no excuse for drinking and getting behind the wheel.. It is deeply concerning that drink-drive-related deaths have reached their highest level since 2009. Anyone who drinks and drives is putting the lives of all road users at risk.
"The impact of drink-driving can be devastating not only for victims who have been killed or suffered life-changing injuries but also for the drivers facing serious legal consequences - it is such an avoidable offence and there is no excuse for drinking and getting behind the wheel.”
Ms Chick added: “Throughout my legal career, I have worked with victims and families of drink-driving collisions and the impact is immense. Thankfully, I’ve been able to bring even a small comfort by securing them the compensation they deserve to help to start to rebuild their lives.”
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