- New data has identified which London borough is the most impacted by drink and drug-driving accidents – with Havering named the worst area
- The findings follow an analysis of the latest data from the Department for Transport on nationwide drink and drug road collisions and casualties
- Nearly 1 in 20 (4.8%) road collisions in Havering were caused by alcohol or drugs yearly – which is double the national average (2.4%)
- An expert urges Brits to check public transport schedules over the festive period, especially given the scheduled train strikes in early December
New research has revealed which London boroughs see the highest proportion of road collisions caused by alcohol or illicit substances each year – with Havering the most affected.
The findings were provided by rehab provider Abbeycare, following an analysis of the latest drink drive collisions and casualties data from the Department for Transport – which also reveals when they are most likely to occur and in which parts of the UK.
The average number of collisions involving substances or alcohol was scaled against the total road collisions recorded by local authorities each year – and then compared to local borough populations – to see where intoxicated driving is the most prevalent.
It’s key to see which parts of London are the most impacted by intoxicated drivers, given this time of year is riskier due to more festive celebrations giving cause to indulge – and an increased likelihood of train strikes, such as those scheduled for early December.
Currently, national train strikes affect rail travel between Saturday 2nd December and Friday 8th, which will affect LNER, the London Northwestern Railway and Avanti West Coast.
And it isn’t just when celebrating that people can make a poor choice, as survey data from the RAC last year stressed the importance of playing it safe ‘the morning after the night before’, as 8% of drivers aged 25-44 think they’ve driven while over the limit the next day.
And it turns out that residents in Havering should be particularly cautious as it’s named London’s drink and drug driving hotspot, as almost 1 in 20 (4.8%) of collisions reported annually involve drugs or alcohol – which is double the national average (2.4%).
Following behind Havering as the second-most affected borough is Harrow, with 4.7% of yearly road accidents caused by drink-driving or taking illicit substances, while Bexley follows behind with slightly fewer (4.4%) of road collisions caused by intoxicated drivers.
The London boroughs most impacted by intoxicated drivers
| Borough | Drink Collisions Per 100k Residents | Drug Collisions Per 100k Residents | Percentage of All Collisions with Intoxicated Drivers |
| Havering | 6.8 | 1.1 | 4.8% |
| Harrow | 4.7 | 0.9 | 4.7% |
| Bexley | 4.9 | 1.4 | 4.4% |
| Hillingdon | 6.1 | 1.2 | 4.4% |
| Enfield | 6.1 | 1.4 | 4.3% |
| Barking and Dagenham | 5.7 | 1.6 | 4.3% |
| Hounslow | 7 | 1.7 | 4.2% |
| Redbridge | 5.2 | 1.2 | 4.2% |
| Brent | 6.4 | 1.1 | 3.9% |
| Richmond upon Thames | 5.4 | 0.8 | 3.8% |
| Bromley | 5 | 1.3 | 3.7% |
| Ealing | 6 | 1.4 | 3.7% |
| Newham | 4.6 | 1.1 | 3.6% |
| Haringey | 6.8 | 1.3 | 3.6% |
| Waltham Forest | 4.5 | 1.2 | 3.5% |
| Kingston upon Thames | 4.2 | 1.2 | 3.5% |
| Hackney | 6.5 | 1.2 | 3.4% |
| Merton | 4 | 1.3 | 3.3% |
| Greenwich | 4.1 | 1.6 | 3.3% |
| Sutton | 3.8 | 0.8 | 3.2% |
| Lewisham | 5 | 1.3 | 3.1% |
| Croydon | 4.4 | 0.7 | 3.0% |
| Barnet | 4.2 | 1 | 2.9% |
| Tower Hamlets | 4.9 | 1.2 | 2.8% |
| Lambeth | 6.2 | 1.1 | 2.6% |
| Southwark | 4.9 | 0.9 | 2.5% |
| Islington | 4.8 | 1.2 | 2.5% |
| Camden | 5.3 | 1.4 | 2.4% |
| Wandsworth | 4.1 | 0.8 | 2.3% |
| City of London | 36 | 8.1 | 2.0% |
| Westminster | 7.9 | 2.7 | 2.0% |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 4.9 | 1.6 | 1.9% |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 3.4 | 1 | 1.7% |
On the other end of the scale, the borough that sees the lowest prevalence of intoxicated drivers is Hammersmith and Fulham, with just 1.7% of accidents involving alcohol or drugs.
Without measuring the data against total road accidents, the City of London sees the highest number of drug-induced road accidents per 100k of the population, with 8.1 reported yearly – and also sees the most incidents involving alcohol, with a huge 36 per 100k residents.
As well as identifying which cities are most likely to be impacted by irresponsible drivers, the DfT data also reveals the time of day when an incident is most likely to occur – with 11 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. named the riskiest time, with an average of 18 fatal crashes reported yearly.
In fact, the time window in which most pubs, bars, and clubs close saw the highest incidence of drink-driving collisions overall, with intervals between 12 a.m. to 2:59 a.m. accounting for the second, third and fourth most dangerous times to drive.
Meanwhile, the morning rush hours were among the safest driving times, with zero fatal drink-driving incidents reported between 9 a.m. and 9:59 a.m. each year and just one reported between 10 a.m. and 10:59 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 8:59 a.m., respectively.
Speaking on the findings, an Abbeycare spokesperson said: “It is never a good idea to drive after consuming alcohol or drugs – and with the festive season approaching, it’s likely that there’ll be an increased number of Brits heading on a spontaneous night out after driving into the office that morning, who’ll need to make the right decision in the evening.
“To avoid endangering yourself and others, always take public transport if you’ve been drinking or taking drugs. It’s important to check schedules and ensure there aren’t any strikes when attending an event – especially if you’ve been tempted to drive home in the past. Remember, you can take an Uber home if the trains or buses aren’t running.
“If you know you’ll be drinking in the evening, it’s best to leave your car at home and commute into the office – even if it takes a little longer to do so. That way, you avoid making an impulsive decision that can have irreversible consequences for you and others.”
