Drink-drive casualties rise by almost a quarter across Hampshire and Isle of Wight

Drink-drive casualties across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have risen by almost a quarter over the past decade, according to new Department for Transport figures.

An estimated 260 people were injured or killed in drink-drive collisions across the police force area during 2024, compared with 210 in 2015 — an increase of 24%.

Of the latest casualties, an estimated 70 were seriously injured or killed.

The published local authority figures indicate 190 casualties in Hampshire, 30 in Southampton, 20 in Portsmouth and 20 on the Isle of Wight.

Separate Home Office figures show Hampshire and Isle of Wight had the equivalent of approximately 110 full-time officers working in specialist Traffic Units in March 2026, compared with 148 a decade earlier.

This represents a reduction of 26%, broadly in line with the national trend. Across the 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales, the number of officers working in specialist Traffic Units fell by 25%, from 5,005 in March 2016 to 3,765 in March 2026.

Hunter Abbott, Managing Director of personal breathalyser firm AlcoSense Laboratories, said: “The rise in drink-drive casualties across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is deeply concerning.

“An estimated 260 people were injured or killed in a single year - five casualties every week.

“Each casualty represents an individual and family whose lives may have been changed forever.”

Abbott said the two sets of figures should not be interpreted as evidence that the reduction in specialist Traffic Unit numbers had caused the increase in casualties.

“Many factors can influence casualty figures and it would be wrong to claim a simple cause and effect,” he said.

“Nevertheless, effective enforcement is an essential part of deterring drink-driving. Drivers must believe there is a realistic chance of being stopped and tested.

“The number of officers working in specialist Traffic Units across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has fallen by around a quarter over the past decade, at the same time as drink-drive casualties have moved in the wrong direction.

“Together, the figures underline the scale of the challenge.”

The Government is considering changes to drink-drive laws as part of its forthcoming Road Safety Strategy, including reducing the legal alcohol limit in England and Wales from 80mg to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Abbott believes any change in the law must be accompanied by effective enforcement and continued public education.

“Lowering the legal alcohol limit would allow the authorities to intervene earlier and discourage more people from taking the risk of driving after drinking,” he said.

“But legislation cannot work in isolation. A lower limit, strong enforcement, roadside breath testing and continued public education all have a role to play.

“No amount of alcohol should be regarded as safe before driving. Scientific evidence shows that even at the proposed 50mg limit, a motorist is still around five times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than someone who has had nothing to drink.”

Previous AlcoSense research among 2,000 UK adults found that 58% believed the most effective way to reduce drink-driving was through a combination of lower alcohol limits and stronger police enforcement, rather than relying on either measure alone.