Dozens of people were killed or injured after drink driving incidents in the south east London boroughs over just three years, new figures show.
The Campaign Against Drink Driving said the more than 14,000 casualties across the country shows there are “many people who need to be educated about the perils of drink and drug driving”.
Nationally, 14,018 people were killed or injured in a drink driving collision between 2018 and 2020 – 3.6% of the total number of casualties on the country’s roads.
It marked a decrease from 15,133 (3.6%) between 2017 and 2019.
In south east London, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities latest figures show there has been a decrease of casualties in all but one of the boroughs, compared to data between 2017 – 2019.
The latest figures include 2020, during which successive lockdowns reduced driving activity.
Separate Department for Transport figures, which do not have local authority data, show around 10 people died in drink driving incidents in London in 2020 – down from 20 the year before.
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Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 to reflect uncertainty in the estimates.
Below is the number of drink-driving casualties that have occurred in south east London:
Bexley
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities figures show 47 people were killed or injured in a crash in Bexley where there was a failed breathalyser test, or the driver refused to take one, between 2018 and 2020.
This was down from 55 between 2017 and 2019.
It meant drink driving incidents accounted for 2.7% of all casualties on the area’s roads between 2018 and 2020.
Bromley
In Bromley, 61 people were killed or injured in a crash in Bromley where there was a failed breathalyser test, or the driver refused to take one, between 2018 and 2020, according to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
This was down from 69 between 2017 and 2019.
It meant drink driving incidents accounted for 2.5% of all casualties on the area’s roads between 2018 and 2020.
Greenwich
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities figures show 61 people were killed or injured in a crash in Greenwich where there was a failed breathalyser test, or the driver refused to take one, between 2018 and 2020.
This was down from 62 between 2017 and 2019.
It meant drink driving incidents accounted for 2.5% of all casualties on the area’s roads between 2018 and 2020.
Lewisham
76 people were killed or injured in a crash in Lewisham where there was a failed breathalyser test, or the driver refused to take one, between 2018 and 2020.
This was up from 67 between 2017 and 2019.
It meant drink driving incidents accounted for 2.7% of all casualties on the area’s roads between 2018 and 2020.
John Scruby, trustee of the Campaign Against Drink Driving and a former police officer who has spent the last 42 years trying to prevent deaths and injuries on England’s roads, said: “The fall in casualties is welcome news, but that more must be done to educate people about the perils of drink and drug driving.
“Education is the key factor to prevent drink and drug driving.”
Mr Scruby also said greater enforcement is needed, but that it is the “final option” and has become more difficult following the decline in the number of dedicated road policing officers in the last 10 years.
The Home Office said it is putting more police on the streets to keep communities safe.
A spokesperson added: “More than 13,500 additional officers have already been recruited across England and Wales and we are on track to deliver our commitment to recruit 20,000, however the deployment of officers is an operational decision for Chief Constables.”
Rebecca Ashton, head of policy and research at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, said that “we do need to do more to make the roads a safer place for people”.
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