During the most recent measurements in 2019, 2.3% of the drivers were under the influence of alcohol during weekend nights, which is a considerable increase compared to the previous measurements in 2017. There is no clear explanation for this increase, but the intensified police enforcement of driving under the influence (DUI) has decreased sharply in recent years.
About two-thirds of all severe alcohol related crashes are caused by the relatively small group of serious alcohol offenders, estimated to number between 90,000 and 125,000 offenders.
Severer penalties, or suspension or revocation of the driving licence seem to have hardly any effect on serious alcohol offenders. For this group, new more preventive measures need to be developed, taking a broader approach towards the problem underlying their alcohol offences, possibly in combination with an alcolock or ankle tag.
This can be read in the updated SWOV fact sheet ‘Driving under the influence of alcohol’.
