Police professional | More drink drivers arrested in NI than ten years ago

More drink drivers arrested in NI than ten years ago

More motorists in Northern Ireland are being caught drink-driving than a decade ago, new figures reveal.

Data released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) shows that last year 3,763 drivers failed a roadside breath test or refused to provide a sample.

This contrasts with 3,252 in 2014, an increase of 16 percent.

The number of stops carried out has also increased by 8% compared to a decade ago – with 31,398 motorists stopped by police in 2023.

Last year, one in eight drivers failed the test.

“It is now less socially acceptable to drink and drive and the dangers are much more considered,” comments Hunter Abbott, chief executive of personal breathalyzer company AlcoSense.

“It is therefore disappointing that so many drivers are still exceeding the legal limit.”

Two-fifths of breathalyzer tests performed in 2023 were the result of road accidents. The worst time of day is between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., when one in four motorists tested positive.

The highest number of tests were carried out on Saturday, while Sunday saw the highest number of failures.

Separate figures released by the PSNI show a 7% increase in prosecuted drink and drug driving offenses compared to 2014.

Men accounted for almost four-fifths of the offenses and more than half (56 per cent) were in the 30-49 age group.

Belfast city was the hotspot for drink driving with 552 offenses detected, a rate of 20 per 10,000 adult residents.

Mid Ulster (307 offenses) recorded the highest percentage rate, at 26 per 10,000.

Ards and North Down had the fewest detections (153) and the lowest rate per 10,000 population (11).

“The good news is that drivers in Northern Ireland appear to be more responsible than in the rest of the UK,” adds Mr Abbott.

“The breath test failure rate in England and Wales has been 17 per cent in recent years, which compares favorably to 12 per cent in Northern Ireland.”

All convicted drink drivers in Northern Ireland are now automatically referred to a rehabilitation training course. Those who complete the course will have their exclusion period reduced by up to 25 percent.