Post date: 05-Feb-2016 12:11:03

1,780 people died on Britain's roads in 2015 which is an increase of 49 from 2014. Of these total deaths 240 involved drivers over the legal alcohol limit.

This 3% death rate increase came alongside a 2.2% traffic increase in the 12 months to September.

Some organisations, the AA and RAC, have called for more action as DfT officials have said the rise in deaths last year was not "statistically significant" as the increase was probably to do with a combination of factors of chance rather than any specific change that can be addressed, a comment that I would tend to support with what information I have.

Neil Greig, the Institute of Advanced Motorists' director of policy and research, said that although drink-drive deaths were "flatlining", the numbers were still "unacceptable".

Personally I see that we have always pursued this matter over decades and that there is only so much any policing and public information can achieve so this specific alcohol small death rate is a positive achievement. In a country of millions of drivers there is always going to be a very stupid and dangerous number within who should not be driving or on our roads in any shape or form. With drink driving the courts should show no leniency under any circumstances to offenders and in the training and driving examination processes we must not target pass rates but simply pass and fail on ability or a lack of. By seeking to ensure that no one obtains a licence until they have clearly shown that they meet a safe and sensible minimum standard that is not set too low accidents and deaths will always occur and to think otherwise is totally illogical and none achievable.

Road deaths in Britain

Year ending

Sept 2009 - 2,402

Sept 2010 - 1,906

Sept 2011 - 1,883

Sept 2012 - 1,761

Sept 2013 - 1,711

Sept 2014 - 1,731

Sept 2015 - 1,780

The government road minister Andrew Jones has stated that "Britain continues to have some of the safest roads in the world but we cannot be complacent on road safety and are determined to do more."

The government have launched a new road safety plan last year that includes plans for tougher penalties on people using mobile phones while driving, extra money to crack down on drug-drivers and funding to train the next generation of cyclists.

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