Cardiff named as drink-driving capital of the UK

17% of drivers in the city admitted to driving while over the alcohol limit

Author: Seb CheerPublished 7th Sep 2021

Cardiff has been named as the drink-driving capital of the UK.

A survey found over one-in-six drivers in the city (17%) admitted to drinking while over the alcohol limit.

Out of the whole of the UK, the study claims that it’s Bristol roads that are home to the most dangerous drivers, followed by London, Cardiff, and Leeds. Based on the number of residents that admit to driving whilst tired, speeding, using your phone whilst at the wheel, and driving over the limit.

Whilst 97% of Brits agree that being distracted whilst driving is dangerous, still almost half (48%) admit to eating and drinking whilst driving, and 47% admit to both driving whilst being tired, and speeding.

Cardiff is the capital of driving over the limit

Over one in six (17%) of Cardiff drivers have admitted to driving whilst drinking over the limit, with Norwich and Bristol drivers in second and third place.

Almost one in five (19%) UK drivers say they don’t know the rules for driving after having a drink, but most shockingly, is that less than a quarter (22%) of people surveyed thought that having a drink positively impacted their abilities as a driver.

Commenting on the study, driver risk expert Martin Starkey said: "Yet many drivers will still perpetuate the situation that causes distraction, mobile phones, social media, texting, and drinking to name a few.

"Maybe this is through thinking accidents won’t happen to them, or maybe because most drivers have been driving for so long that driving has turned into an ‘over learnt activity’ where the driver has a belief that they can manage the driving element and still be distracted, until the day comes when they can’t, of course!"

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