100 motorists a day receive drink-drive endorsements as new research shows soaring cost for offenders

•108,000 drink-drive related endorsements added to individual licences over a three-year period

•Drink-driving could be costing offenders as much as £80,000, up 15 percent on five years ago

One hundred drivers a day have had drink-drive endorsements added to their licences in the past three years according to new research from road safety charity IAM RoadSmart.*

Worryingly, young professionals aged 25 to 39 are the worst offenders, seemingly unaware of the consequences of drink-driving. Some 48,000 drivers in this age group have been rapped, closely followed by 40,000 midlifers aged 40 to 65.

This compares to 15,000 drivers aged 17 to 24 who got points on their licence, and just 3,000 in the over 65s from 2022 to 2024, according to a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA. The oldest person to receive a drink-drive endorsement (DR20) was 91 when this was added to their licence in 2023.

Motorists who are caught drink-driving will automatically lose their licence and may end up with a prison sentence and an unlimited fine. The endorsement will remain on their licence for 11 years, and a second offence in ten years will lead to an extended disqualification.

The figures have led to concern that people underestimate the impact drink driving has not only on people’s safety but also on their finances and career.

Further research from IAM RoadSmart reveals that the cost of drink-driving has risen to potentially £80,000, up 15 percent on previous research the charity conducted five years ago.

This consists of the loss of 15 months’ worth of salary equal to £46,800, legal fees of £13,600, fines costing up to £5,000, public transport costs of up to £2,500 and a whopping £13,700 in increased insurance premiums while the endorsement remains on the individual’s licence over the course of 11 years.**

The number of people killed in drink-driving incidents has risen over the past decade, reaching a 13 year high in 2022 and prompting concerns that existing road safety measures are becoming less effective.

A major overhaul of the UK’s road safety laws is underway and this is set to be published as part of an updated road safety strategy in the Autumn.

Under the plans being considered by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, the drink-drive limit in England and Wales could be cut from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms.

This figure would be in line with Scotland, which cut its drink-drive limit in 2014, and much of the rest of Europe, where no other country has a limit as high as that in England and Wales.

IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: “Drink-driving is a dangerously reckless act that puts other people’s lives at risk. The fact that there were 1,860 killed or seriously injured in a drink-drive related collision in 2023 – the equivalent of five people a day - should be sufficient deterrent. But for some, the consequences might only dawn on them when they realise the wider cost.

“We hope that by calculating the potential cost to the individual, would-be law breakers will at the very least consider the impact on themselves and think twice before getting behind the wheel after a drink; it could end up being a very expensive pint if it puts you over the drink-drive limit. When you think about it, the cost of a cab is very little by way of comparison.

“We welcome plans to reduce the drink-drive limit and hope that it would prompt behavioural change with many not risking having a drink before driving.

“We know from delivering drink-drive rehabilitation courses to offenders, that many people struggle to calculate how many units they have had to drink, and whether they will be under the limit when they get behind the wheel. So many factors are at play, such as weight, age, metabolism and even stress levels, that you can never really be sure just what effect alcohol is having on your body.

“What we need is a shift in mindset, and lowering the limit and boosting enforcement would help send the message that having none for the road is best.”

Ends

Notes to editors

For interviews, contact the IAM RoadSmart press office on press.office@iam.org.uk / 020 8996 9777

Research

*IAM RoadSmart Freedom of Information request to the DVLA: FOIR12441 tables for media use.xlsx

**IAM RoadSmart calculated the cost of a drink-driving conviction at £81,591 as follows:

-£2,481 in public transport costs (source Bank of England inflation tracker)

-£5,000, formerly the maximum fine, although Government guidance indicates it is now unlimited (source DfT)

-£13,650 in legal fees, the industry average charged by solicitors for a not guilty plea at trial (sourced by IAM)

-£13,673 in insurance fees, based on the difference between an average annual premium for 11 years and the premium of someone with DR20 on their licence for 11 years. This is an estimate as premiums can significantly fluctuate over an 11-year period and is a guide only. Please use ‘up-to’ when quoting this update. (source ABI: https://www.abi.org.uk/news/ne... and Confused.com: https://www.confused.com/compa... )

-£46,787 in lost earnings, based on a period of 15-months, the mean driving disqualification after conviction, for someone earning the average full-time salary of £37,430 (sources: ONS and DVLA)

Endorsement codes used within the release:

DR10Driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit

DR20Driving or attempting to drive while unfit through drink

DR40In charge of a vehicle while alcohol level above limit

DR50In charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink

About IAM RoadSmart

IAM RoadSmart is the UK’s largest road safety charity providing advanced driver and rider training. It has a vision of a society where all road users can safely use the public highways together.

IAM RoadSmart was formed in March 1956 and has around 70,000 members and 5,000 volunteers that support its campaigns on road safety. At any one time there are more than 7,000 drivers and riders actively engaged with IAM RoadSmart’s courses.

IAM RoadSmart delivers a DVSA-approved Drink-Drive Rehabilitation course for convicted drink-drivers referred to us by a court. For more information go to: www.iamroadsmart.com/drink-drive" target="_blank" class="redactor-autoparser-object">https://www.iamroadsmart.com/d...

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