ABC Borough Drink Driving Second Highest in Northern Ireland

ABC borough had many drink driving arrests. It was the worst area except for Belfast. Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) made many arrests. They arrested over 9,400 for drink or drug driving in the past three years. A recent investigation revealed these numbers.

PSNI made the second-most arrests in the UK, only surpassed by London’s Metropolitan Police. Legal Expert obtained data through requests showing that between December 2021 and November 2024, PSNI arrested 9,413 drivers for driving under the influence. Eighty-three percent of these arrests resulted in charges.

PSNI shared the areas with the most offenses, identifying Belfast as leading in drink and drug drivers in 2023/24 with 429 drivers charged. Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon followed with 316 offenders caught. Derry City and Strabane had 254 charged, while Mid Ulster had 246.

Most arrested drivers were between 30 and 49, making up 55% of the total. The next largest group was eighteen to twenty-nine year olds, accounting for 24% of those arrested. Furthermore, eighty-one percent of those arrested in the last year alone were male.

The Department for Transport released data in 2024 indicating UK drink-driving deaths had hit a thirteen-year high. About 300 deaths involved drunk drivers in 2022, the latest year for which official figures are available. This was the highest annual number since 2009.

That number is sixteen percent higher than 2021. Drink-drive fatalities caused 18% of all deaths, contrasting with trends towards safer roads and improved driving.