Drink driving blamed for dozens of crashes in Shropshire
Drink driving was a factor in dozens of crashes resulting in death or injury in Shropshire last year.
Now road safety charity Brake has repeated calls for a zero-tolerance approach on drink and drug driving.
Department for Transport data shows drivers or riders impaired by alcohol contributed to 24 crashes in Shropshire and at least six in Telford & Wrekin last year.
The figures, which report contributory factors for incidents as recorded by police, also show 13 people affected by illicit or medicinal drugs.
A driver or rider could be marked as being impaired by alcohol or drugs if police believe their behaviour directly caused or contributed to the accident, whether over the legal limit or not.
A total of 369 incidents recorded in Shropshire had contributory factors with alcohol linked to seven of these, while impairment through drugs was reported in four per cent.
In Telford & Wrekin a total of 126 incidents were recorded with alcohol was linked to five per cent and drugs two per cent.
Brake's director of campaign, Joshua Harris said the presence of drink and drug driving on the roads was concerning but "all too predictable".
Policy
"We know that any amount of alcohol impairs driving, and yet the Government persists with the highest drink-drive limit in Europe in England, Wales and Northern Ireland," he said.
"We urge the Government to introduce an effective zero tolerance drink-drive limit, providing much-needed clarity to all drivers that if you drink, you must not drive," Mr Harris said.
Transport committee MPs have been exploring an alcohol limit for new drivers under the age of 25 in a bid to curb the number of casualties.
The most common contributory factor in Shropshire was drivers and riders not looking properly accounting for in 39 per cent of incidents, losing control at 27 per cent and failing to judge the other person's path or speed at 24 per cent.
Different figures show 14 people were killed on the county's roads year. Telford & Wrekin had two deaths, and Powys 14. In addition to fatalities, last year 153 people were seriously injured in accidents in Shropshire and 43 in Telford & Wrekin.
Mr Harris added that he welcomed the Government’s Roads Policing Review, which would help to co-ordinate roads policy and enforcement.
Transport Minister Baroness Vere said the UK had some of the safest roads in the world.
"This Government will continue to work tirelessly to ensure our roads are made even safer still," she said.
