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28-07-2023, 07:13
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/07/drink-driving.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndc_qz-9_5qIlBDlL5EF0cp9Yuiuk58XQl9rPJg3WPtfcUEk1F9xjBhJB WHsFQkJCLrxylvb9cTbFyJZCgLpQeSj5R-VddWhLnw_y83_jDQCFIUW-uhFPjHy27_Ac2hOTSARg86-oMN2kl7N80r3_04KX9D-4_txPwxxyPEeqYzTASRCo0nmjWFzIosA/s320/Barnsley_Old_Tom_Ale_1947.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndc_qz-9_5qIlBDlL5EF0cp9Yuiuk58XQl9rPJg3WPtfcUEk1F9xjBhJB WHsFQkJCLrxylvb9cTbFyJZCgLpQeSj5R-VddWhLnw_y83_jDQCFIUW-uhFPjHy27_Ac2hOTSARg86-oMN2kl7N80r3_04KX9D-4_txPwxxyPEeqYzTASRCo0nmjWFzIosA/s568/Barnsley_Old_Tom_Ale_1947.jpg)
Something which, thankfully, has become far less fashionable than it once was. I can remember being driven around by someone who had knocked back four or five pints. Well over the limit.
How common was drink driving? It’s impossible to really know. Anecdotally, plenty seemed to be up to it. But not going crazy. Either in the amount they drank or their driving. On the other hand, I knew plenty of people who either didn’t drink at all when they drove, or only had a couple of pints.
Did the introduction of the breathalyser have an effect on behaviour? I’m not sure these numbers make us any the wiser:
Is the fall in the percentage of positive tests a sign that drink driving was less prevalent? I’m not sure that it is.
Breath tests administered in England and Wales
Year
Initial Breath Tests—Positive
Initial Breath Tests—Negative
Initial Tests Total
Number
%
Number
%
Number
1968
26,429
54.9
21,731
45.1
48,160
1969
31,770
57.7
23,313
42.3
55,083
1970
39,393
57.1
29,585
42.9
68,978
1971
56,293
61.7
34,881
38.3
91,174
1972
69,718
61.9
42,977
38.1
112,695
1973
77,334
62.6
46,267
37.4
123,601
1974
69,946
60.7
45,245
39.3
115,191
1975
70,386
57.2
52,644
42.8
123.03
1976
57,186
46.7
65,235
53.3
122,421
1977
53,363
45
65,639
55
119,002
1978
59,068
46.2
68,862
53.8
127,930
1979
69.449
46.8
78,795
53.2
148.244
Source:
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1980, page 72.
I would really appreciate anyone's memories of drink driving in the 1970s. Was it common? Was it reduced by the breathalyser?
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/07/drink-driving.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndc_qz-9_5qIlBDlL5EF0cp9Yuiuk58XQl9rPJg3WPtfcUEk1F9xjBhJB WHsFQkJCLrxylvb9cTbFyJZCgLpQeSj5R-VddWhLnw_y83_jDQCFIUW-uhFPjHy27_Ac2hOTSARg86-oMN2kl7N80r3_04KX9D-4_txPwxxyPEeqYzTASRCo0nmjWFzIosA/s320/Barnsley_Old_Tom_Ale_1947.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndc_qz-9_5qIlBDlL5EF0cp9Yuiuk58XQl9rPJg3WPtfcUEk1F9xjBhJB WHsFQkJCLrxylvb9cTbFyJZCgLpQeSj5R-VddWhLnw_y83_jDQCFIUW-uhFPjHy27_Ac2hOTSARg86-oMN2kl7N80r3_04KX9D-4_txPwxxyPEeqYzTASRCo0nmjWFzIosA/s568/Barnsley_Old_Tom_Ale_1947.jpg)
Something which, thankfully, has become far less fashionable than it once was. I can remember being driven around by someone who had knocked back four or five pints. Well over the limit.
How common was drink driving? It’s impossible to really know. Anecdotally, plenty seemed to be up to it. But not going crazy. Either in the amount they drank or their driving. On the other hand, I knew plenty of people who either didn’t drink at all when they drove, or only had a couple of pints.
Did the introduction of the breathalyser have an effect on behaviour? I’m not sure these numbers make us any the wiser:
Is the fall in the percentage of positive tests a sign that drink driving was less prevalent? I’m not sure that it is.
Breath tests administered in England and Wales
Year
Initial Breath Tests—Positive
Initial Breath Tests—Negative
Initial Tests Total
Number
%
Number
%
Number
1968
26,429
54.9
21,731
45.1
48,160
1969
31,770
57.7
23,313
42.3
55,083
1970
39,393
57.1
29,585
42.9
68,978
1971
56,293
61.7
34,881
38.3
91,174
1972
69,718
61.9
42,977
38.1
112,695
1973
77,334
62.6
46,267
37.4
123,601
1974
69,946
60.7
45,245
39.3
115,191
1975
70,386
57.2
52,644
42.8
123.03
1976
57,186
46.7
65,235
53.3
122,421
1977
53,363
45
65,639
55
119,002
1978
59,068
46.2
68,862
53.8
127,930
1979
69.449
46.8
78,795
53.2
148.244
Source:
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1980, page 72.
I would really appreciate anyone's memories of drink driving in the 1970s. Was it common? Was it reduced by the breathalyser?
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/07/drink-driving.html)