Young people in Warwickshire ‘most likely’ to drink and drive

Out of 789 drivers tested by Warwickshire Police in June, 142 were under 25 and 8.5 per cent gave a positive result, compared to 5.4 per cent of those aged 25 or older.

Drink driving also raised the risk of being in a crash. Out of 146 breath tests carried out after collisions, 14.4 per cent resulted in a positive test, compared to four per cent when there had not been a crash.

Calling the figures “disappointing”, Supt Adrian McGee said: “It is obvious that increased education for younger drivers about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is vital.

“In the past three years 54 people have been killed, or suffered serious injuries in Warwickshire where alcohol, or drugs was found to be a factor in the collision. Of those 52 per cent of the drivers were aged between 17 and 30 years.”

With the Olympics still before us, Supt McGee urged people to plan ahead if there was a chance people would be drinking while watching sport.

With drink driving carrying an automatic 12-month driving ban, as well as the danger of causing death or injury, he stressed that people who had been drinking should think twice before driving the following morning.

He said: “It is impossible to calculate how much anyone can drink before they pass the legal limit because everyone is different, so the best advice is not to drink at all if you are driving.

“Book a taxi, agree which one of your group will not drink and can then drive the others or check the bus and train timetables before you go out.”