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Safety warning to drunken pedestrians

Almost 50% of pedestrians killed in road crashes between 10pm and 4am on Fridays and Saturdays are more than twice over the drink drive limit, according to new figures released last week by the RAC Foundation.

The research shows that of the 301 pedestrians killed with a known blood alcohol concentration (BAC), 38% were above the drink drive limit - with 25% more than twice over the limit.

Pedestrians aged 25 -29 were most likely to have higher alcohol concentrations. Two thirds were over the drink drive limit, with almost half twice over the limit.

The RAC Foundation is calling for better road safety awareness for drinking pedestrians.

"Most of us are well aware of the problems of drink driving but little is said about the perils of drunk pedestrians," said Kevin Delaney , head of road safety at the RAC Foundation. "It is worrying to see the rising numbers of young pedestrians killed after drinking and the rises in fatalities who had consumed excessive amounts of alcohol. Heavy intoxication must be a contributory factor in pedestrian accidents.

"Many of those pedestrians killed had made a sensible, laudable and informed choice not to take a car while they were drinking and were acting within the law. But drunken pedestrians leave themselves open to injury or death because their condition means that they are not in a fit state to consider the road safety dangers.

"New methods will need to be employed to highlight the potential dangers to drunken pedestrians. People going out drinking need to think carefully about how they will get home."

For further information visit: http://www.racfoundation.org

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