An area of Wales has been revealed to be the UK’s second worst drink driving hotspot. Freedom of Information Act findings have highlighted the top ten locations where drivers get convicted for being caught over the drink-driving limit.
The 2023 data, released by the DVLA and requested by MailOnline, showed that Llandudno had the second highest conviction rate in the UK, just behind Northampton, which had the highest rate. Newport also featured on the list.
The RAC says that the research has shown that tougher sentences are the most popular solution among motorists for combating drink-driving. Its findings reveal that 38 percent of drivers believe stricter penalties are the key to reducing drink-driving incidents, which were responsible for approximately 300 deaths in 2022. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.
The top ten locations, ranked in order, are as follows:
| Rank | Location |
Number of drivers convicted per 10,000 |
| 1 | Northampton | 13.4 |
| 2 | Llandudno | 13.1 |
| 3 | Nottingham | 12.3 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 12.1 |
| 5 | Teesside | 11.7 |
| 6 | Wakefield | 11.7 |
| 7 | Durham | 11.5 |
| 8 | Motherwell | 11.5 |
| 9 | Newport | 11.3 |
| 10 | The Western Isles | 11.3 |
RAC road safety spokesman Rod Dennis said: “It’s clear motorists want to see something done differently to tackle the scourge of drink-driving which is still responsible for the loss of far too many lives every year. Shockingly, government data shows we’re back to a similar rate of fatalities caused by people drinking and driving as we were in the late 1980s and that a significant number of drink-drive offences are committed by reoffenders.
“As well as support for immediate roadside bans and tougher sentences, our research reveals there is considerable backing from drivers for fitting alcolocks which stop someone over the limit from starting a car. Those who have been convicted of drink-driving need to be prevented from being able to reoffend. Enforcement is also key as drivers need to know there is a good chance of being caught if they decide to drive after drinking too much.”
In the RAC Report on Motoring 2024, drivers were asked to choose the three most effective measures from eight options to address drink-driving. The second most popular choice, with 34% of drivers in favour, was lowering the legal blood-alcohol limit to zero.
A third of drivers (33%) also supported giving police the authority to immediately disqualify drink-drivers at the roadside. Currently, only courts have the power to impose driving bans, meaning a drink-driver could continue driving until their court appearance. Join our WhatsApp news community here for the latest breaking news. You will receive updates from us daily.