Drink-drive re-offenders should have a breathalyser fitted into cars, says RAC

A total of 27,837 British motorists were convicted of the offence multiple times in the 11 years to July 20, with 372 being caught after at least four incidents - including a quartet who were prosecuted on seven occasions

Repeat drink-drivers should be forced to keep breathalysers in their cars and only be allowed to hit the road if they are sober, campaigners say.

A total of 27,837 British motorists were convicted of the offence multiple times in the 11 years to July 20. Some 372 were caught after at least four incidents, including a quartet who were prosecuted on seven occasions.

Motoring organisations said the figures demonstrate the need for the government to consider introducing a requirement for “alcolocks” to be used in the UK. The devices prevent a vehicle’s ignition from starting unless a person passes a breath test. They are already used in nations such as France, Belgium, Italy and Denmark as a possible alternative to driving bans.

RAC road safety spokesman Rod Dennis said: “It’s chilling to see a proportion [who] remain intent on taking charge of a car while intoxicated, even after they’ve already been caught on at least one occasion. The rate of fatalities caused by people drinking and driving is now at a similar level to where it was in the late 1980s, so it’s clear something needs to change. Drivers need to be prevented from drinking and driving in the first place, so there’s a good argument for mandating alcolocks be fitted to vehicles driven by anyone previously convicted.”

Mr Porter was in favour of alcolocks and said increasing the number of roadside breathalyser tests by police would also “provide a visual deterrent for those thinking about risking it”.

Department for Transport figures show an estimated 300 people were killed in crashes on Britain’s roads involving at least one driver over the legal limit in 2022. That was up from 260 the previous year and was the highest since 2009. A DfT spokesman said: “Road safety is an absolute priority for this government. That’s why we have committed to delivering a new Road Safety Strategy, the first in over a decade. We will set out the next steps on this in due course.”