NRMA's latest report reveals over one in ten drivers confess to drunk driving
- Replies 6
A concerning new report has revealed that over 1 in 10 drivers have admitted to driving while over the legal blood alcohol limit.
The alarming statistics come from the NRMA's (National Roads and Motorists' Association) latest Bust the Boozers report into drunk driving trends across NSW.
Their survey found that a shocking 12 per cent of people who consume alcohol confessed to getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. An additional 17 per cent even admitted they've likely driven while possibly being over the limit!
Of those who admitted to drunk driving, 14 per cent had previously been caught by a Random Breath Testing (RBT) checkpoint.
Peter Khoury, a spokesperson for the organisation, pointed out that the number of road accidents in NSW has increased by 24 per cent compared to last year.
'It is abhorrent that in 2023, we are still having to tell people to stop drunk driving,' he said.
'With almost one in five road deaths related to alcohol, it's clear we have so much work to do, and the tip of the spear remains the booze bus and RBTs.'
The NRMA has initiated a petition to the NSW parliament, urging them to raise the number of RBTs to at least 1.1 tests per driver each year, aligning with the best practices recommended by Austroads.
This would mean conducting over 7.3 million tests across NSW, nearly double the amount conducted in 2022.
'Increasing the number of RBTs on our roads is the ultimate deterrent,' Khoury claimed.
'The more drivers see them set up on the side of the road testing drivers, the more likely they are to not risk drunk driving.'
Apart from driving under the influence of alcohol, there's another dangerous behaviour on the road: driving when you're exhausted.
A recent study in the journal Nature and Science of Sleep revealed that if you had less than five hours of sleep last night, you're as likely to have a car crash as if you were legally drunk.
The study showed that driver fatigue plays a role in around 20 per cent of vehicle crashes. While efforts to reduce other causes of accidents, like drunk driving, have been successful due to public awareness campaigns and stricter punishments, fatigue-related crashes remain a concern.
To address fatigued driving, a similar approach to drunk driving could be considered, setting a point at which drivers are considered 'impaired' based on their prior sleep.
The research aims to establish the evidence for this concept and determine how much sleep is needed for safe driving.
Researchers are currently gathering input from the community and road safety experts in Australia to figure out the next steps for regulating fatigued driving.
Initial findings suggest that better public education and guidance on avoiding fatigued driving would be helpful. For example, providing clear advice on assessing if you're too tired to drive safely would be a valuable step.
For more information, read the full article here.
What are your thoughts on these alarming drunk driving statistics? Do you know anyone who admitted to driving after drinking? Share your experiences in the comments below.
The alarming statistics come from the NRMA's (National Roads and Motorists' Association) latest Bust the Boozers report into drunk driving trends across NSW.
Their survey found that a shocking 12 per cent of people who consume alcohol confessed to getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. An additional 17 per cent even admitted they've likely driven while possibly being over the limit!
Of those who admitted to drunk driving, 14 per cent had previously been caught by a Random Breath Testing (RBT) checkpoint.
Alarming new research has found more than one-in-10 drivers surveyed who drink admitted to driving while over the legal blood-alcohol limit. Credit: Shutterstock.
Peter Khoury, a spokesperson for the organisation, pointed out that the number of road accidents in NSW has increased by 24 per cent compared to last year.
'It is abhorrent that in 2023, we are still having to tell people to stop drunk driving,' he said.
'With almost one in five road deaths related to alcohol, it's clear we have so much work to do, and the tip of the spear remains the booze bus and RBTs.'
The NRMA has initiated a petition to the NSW parliament, urging them to raise the number of RBTs to at least 1.1 tests per driver each year, aligning with the best practices recommended by Austroads.
This would mean conducting over 7.3 million tests across NSW, nearly double the amount conducted in 2022.
'Increasing the number of RBTs on our roads is the ultimate deterrent,' Khoury claimed.
'The more drivers see them set up on the side of the road testing drivers, the more likely they are to not risk drunk driving.'
Apart from driving under the influence of alcohol, there's another dangerous behaviour on the road: driving when you're exhausted.
A recent study in the journal Nature and Science of Sleep revealed that if you had less than five hours of sleep last night, you're as likely to have a car crash as if you were legally drunk.
The study showed that driver fatigue plays a role in around 20 per cent of vehicle crashes. While efforts to reduce other causes of accidents, like drunk driving, have been successful due to public awareness campaigns and stricter punishments, fatigue-related crashes remain a concern.
To address fatigued driving, a similar approach to drunk driving could be considered, setting a point at which drivers are considered 'impaired' based on their prior sleep.
The research aims to establish the evidence for this concept and determine how much sleep is needed for safe driving.
Researchers are currently gathering input from the community and road safety experts in Australia to figure out the next steps for regulating fatigued driving.
Initial findings suggest that better public education and guidance on avoiding fatigued driving would be helpful. For example, providing clear advice on assessing if you're too tired to drive safely would be a valuable step.
For more information, read the full article here.
What are your thoughts on these alarming drunk driving statistics? Do you know anyone who admitted to driving after drinking? Share your experiences in the comments below.
.png){kind=icon}
