Worst areas for drink-driving in Sussex revealed as more than 2,800 arrested in last three years

It is the top ten UK police with the highest number of arrests since 2021-22.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) recently joined the increasing calls for a reduction in the legal blood alcohol limit for UK drivers after the latest figures from the Department for Transport revealed drink-driving deaths have risen to 300 a year – a 13-year-high.

New data obtained by law firm Legal Expert via Freedom of Information Requests has found that in Sussex between 2022 and 2024, police have arrested 2,800 drink-drivers.

Of those, 64 per cent on average resulted in a charge or summons.

Legal Expert’s road traffic accident specialist, Tracy Chick, said: “Drink-driving is such an avoidable offence and there is no excuse for drinking and getting behind the wheel.”

Sussex Police also revealed the most prolific areas for drink-driving in the last year, which you can view in the gallery below.

The most common age group for those caught drink-driving in the last year was between 31-40, accounting for 26 per cent of the figures, followed by 41-50 year-olds which made up 20 per cent.

What’s more, a staggering 79 per cent of drink-drivers in Sussex last year were male.

The findings follow the latest data released by the Department for Transport in 2024 revealing that UK drink-driving deaths have hit a 13-year-high.

There were an estimated 300 deaths where at least one driver was over the legal blood-alcohol limit in 2022, the latest year for which official figures are available. This is the highest annual figure since 2009.

The number is 16 per cent higher than in 2021 and means drink-drive fatalities accounted for about 18 per cent of all deaths, bucking the general long-term trend for safer roads and more responsible driving.

On January 14, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ (APCC) Addictions and Substance Misuse leads and their Roads Policing counterparts jointly backed the British Medical Association’s (BMA) call for a reduction in the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers.

Joy Allen and David Sidwick, APCC leads for addictions and substance misuse, along with Sarah Taylor and Marc Jones, APCC leads for roads policing, said: “Too many families have been devastated by the consequences of drink driving, with around 300 people dying each year in collisions where a driver is over the limit.

“Even minimal alcohol consumption can significantly impair a driver's judgment and their ability to react quickly.

“If we are to save lives and make our roads safer for everyone, we must get across the message that any amount of alcohol before driving is dangerous.”

RTA specialist at Legal Expert Tracy Chick added: “It is deeply concerning that drink-drive-related deaths have reached their highest level since 2009.

“Anyone who drinks and drives is putting the lives of all road users at risk.

“The impact of drink-driving can be devastating not only for victims who have been killed or suffered life-changing injuries but also for the drivers facing serious legal consequences - it is such an avoidable offence and there is no excuse for drinking and getting behind the wheel.

“Throughout my legal career, I have worked with victims and families of drink-driving collisions and the impact is immense.

“Thankfully, I’ve been able to bring even a small comfort by securing them the compensation they deserve to help to start to rebuild their lives.”

Legal Expert offers specialist advice and support to anyone involved in a drink-driving incident.

They operate a 24-hour helpline and live chat service which you can access on their website.