A road safety charity has called the UK Government’s latest drink-drive figures “disappointing” after they revealed no real improvement from the previous year.

IAM RoadSmart has now called for a long-term plan to tackle the issue.

The figures show that in 2017, the latest full year statistics are available, there were 220 fatal crashes where alcohol was a factor – no change from the previous year.

The figures also showed 1,110 serious crashes, up by 100 on the previous year. There were 8,600 total casualties from road crashes which, although down from the previous year’s total of 9,040, is up on the figures from 2013-5.

“It is truly disappointing to find yet another year of very little progress,” said Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart.

“There is no one simple answer to reducing these figures, but IAM RoadSmart believes we now need an emergency package of measures from the government including a lower drink-drive limit to reinforce good behaviour, the fast-tracking of evidential roadside testing machines to release police resources, as well as the introduction of innovative approaches to help drivers with alcohol problems.”