Drink-driving offences have been cut by half in the last five years

Drink-driving offences have plummeted by more than 50% in the last five years, according to a report published this afternoon.

In 2013, there were 11,329 drink-driving offences brought before the District Court, it was revealed today in the Courts Service Annual Report.

This represents a 10% fall since last year, when there were 12,636 cases, a 38% decrease since 2011, which saw 18,169 such offences, and a remarkable drop of 54% since 2009, when there were 24,467.

Of the drink driving offences dealt with by the District Court in the last 12 months, 39% (4,376) resulted in a disqualifications from driving, and 35% (3,975) ended in a fine being issued.

It appears that behavioural changes, rather than a lack of law enforcement, explain the huge fall in cases of drink driving.

Read more...

Source: Dan MacGuill, thejournal.ie, 25/07/14