By Julie Armstrong

Last updated 12:21, Monday, 11 August 2008

The number of people killed by drink-drive accidents in Britain dropped 18 per cent last year.

Almost 60 per cent of males still drive after a drink, latest figures show

Department for Transport figures out last week show there were 460 fatalities in 2007 compared with 560 in 2006. And those seriously injured fell 11 per cent to 1,760.

But the number of actual drink-drive accidents rose two per cent from 9,400 to 9,620, and the number of slight injuries also went up – by four per cent to 12,260.

Road safety campaigners Brake are demanding the Government reduce the drink-drive limit from 80mg to 20mg per 100ml of blood to eliminate any ambiguity over the dangers.

They say the problem of drink-driving is no longer confined to ‘eight-pint men’; more women are being convicted, possibly because of confusion over what is ‘safe’ to drink.

They say the safest option is to drink nothing at all before driving, and want the legal limit dropped to 20mg in line with Poland, Sweden and Norway. This goes further than the EU suggested limit of 50mg.

The charity says between 200 and 300 road deaths every year are associated with blood alcohol levels falling between Britain’s limit 80mg and the lower 10mg.

A survey of about 2,000 adults, done by Brake and breakdown company Green Flag, revealed as many as 59 per cent of male and 42 per cent of female motorists get behind the wheel after drinking.

A quarter of men and 11 per cent of women reckoned they had a maximum of two small glasses of wine or the equivalent.

Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns at Brake, said: “It’s good news that the number of deaths in drink-drive crashes fell in 2007, but the figures don’t tell the whole story.

“The drink-drive limit is currently crazily high. Even more deaths are associated with drivers who may not be over the limit but do have a significant amount of alcohol in their system.

“The most successful campaign would be one that had the clear message that even one drink is one too many.”

The AA’s president Edmund King said two thirds of AA members are in favour of a lower drink drive limit.

England’s chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson went even further by saying the legal level should be cut to zero for drivers aged 17 to 20, as in parts of Australia and the USA.