A poll has found drink driving has become more socially acceptable over the past five years 

The research, carried out for the RSA, found nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents agreed that “most of my acquaintances/friends think driving under the influence of alcohol is unacceptable”. 

By contrast, in 2019 when people were asked this question, 85% agreed drink driving was unacceptable. 

It also found that one in 10 people have driven after drinking alcohol in the past year, with 14% of men admitting to driving after drinking, compared to only 6% of women. 

Among people who drive to work, 14% said they had driven after drinking and the figure rose to 28% of those who had been involved in a crash before. 

RSA Chair Liz O’Donnell said the findings confirmed that “drink driving is still a problem in Ireland”. 

“Drink driving is a behaviour that must no longer be tolerated in our society,” she said. 

“Driving under the influence of drink or drugs is a known contributory factor in road fatalities, and if we are going to achieve our goal of zero deaths and zero serious injuries on Irish roads by 2050, we must have zero tolerance to these dangerous driving behaviours.

“Consuming any alcohol impairs driving and increases the risk of a collision.” 

What is drink driving?

Currently, most people can drive if they have a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

For those who are professional, learner and novice drivers the BAC limit is reduced to 20 mg.

Most people who have had one drink will have a BAC of between 20 and 50 mg. 

In 2023, Gardaí carried out 46,165 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing Checkpoints and 8,863 people were arrested for driving under the influence. 

Reform

The Department of Transport is currently considering how to improve road safety and Minister of State Jack Chambers said alcohol is a key issue under consideration. 

“A key action in [our] Road Safety Strategy called for the establishment of a working group to consider and make recommendations for the implementation of an alcohol interlock programme, supported by a drink drive rehabilitation course for high-risk drink drive offenders,” he said. 

“This action is nearing completion and will inform road safety policy in Ireland. 

“Data from other countries show how alcohol interlock programmes help in reducing drink-driving, and therefore the number of alcohol-related collisions on the roads.”

Last year, 184 people died on Ireland’s roads - a figure 19% higher than the one in 2022.

Main image: A couple raises their pints of beer on a warm sunny morning in a beer garden of a pub in London.