Newly published data from the UK Department of Transport on drink drive related accidents provides an interesting insight into how the level of overall motor vehicle accidents has fallen dramatically in the last 41 years. 

If you run a bodyshops and you thought accidents were more far more prevalent in the 1980s and 90s then your recollection is right. Overall road traffic accidents have fallen in the UK, from 254,967 in 1979 to 91,199 in 2020, a 64% reduction. To put this in context for every 100 accidents in the UK in 1979 there are now only 36. 

The dramatic decline can be partly attributed to a reduction in drink driving, however, safer roads, safer cars and improved driver safety awareness appear to be the main factors making a difference. 

Drink-drive accidents are indeed down 76% since 1979 reflecting how the practice has become far less accepted over recent decades. In 1979, 8% of reported road accidents were drink-drive related. This fell to 5% by 1990 and has generally been around 5% since then.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the findings is how accident rates have dropped so dramatically since around 2000, when they were effectively still at 95% of 1979 levels. This perhaps reflects how technology, such as improved braking systems and advent of accident avoidance systems, has had a dramatic impact on the number of incidents on the roads.