Written question asked by Elfyn Llwyd (Plaid Cymru) on Tuesday, 3 February 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 11 February 1998. It was answered by Glenda Jackson (Labour) on Wednesday, 11 February 1998 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, how many alcohol-related accidents occurred in Wales in 1997; what percentage of total road accidents they represent. - Inc figures.

Answer: Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many alcohol-related accidents occurred in Wales in 1997; what percentage of total road accidents they represent; and if he will make a statement. [27972] Ms Glenda Jackson: In 1995, the most recent year for which estimates of drink drive accidents are available for Wales, there were an estimated 540 personal injury, alcohol-related road accidents. They represent 5% of all personal injury road accidents in Wales in that year. The estimate of alcohol-related accidents includes those accidents in which one or more of the drivers or riders of motor vehicles involved refused to give a breath test specimen or failed either: (i) a breath test by registering over 35 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, or (ii) for fatalities, a blood test by registering more than 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. For some accidents neither of the above test results are available even though a driver or rider involved was over the legal limit. The Department's estimates are, therefore, adjusted to allow for this.

Secondary information