Areas of country with the highest rates of drink and drug driving conviction revealed

A NEW study has revealed the areas of the country with the highest rates of drink and drug driving convictions.

Paisley, Motherwell and Inverness rank as the worst offenders north of the border, but Scotland generally fares much better than the rest of the UK.

The analysis, conducted by MoneySuperMarket, looked at seven million car insurance quotes run on their price comparison website over the last 12 months.

No Scottish postcode made the overall top 10 for most convictions, with Sunderland topping the list with nearly three for every one thousand drivers.

In Scotland, those living in Paisley came closest with nearly two (1.58) for every thousand drivers while Motherwell was close behind with one (1.44) but both are well below Wolverhampton (2.12) who rounded off the top 10.

The likes of Glasgow (1.27), Edinburgh (1.25) and Dumfries (1.22) are next in line, though all three postal regions average a lower rank than the worst two brackets shown on MoneySuperMarket’s interactive map.

Dundee (1.13), Perth (1.09) and Aberdeen (1.05) appear just outside the top 10 for the lowest conviction rates.

London dominates the list of postcodes with the lowest conviction rates for the second year in a row. The postal area of North London boasts the lowest rate of drink or drug driving convictions, with just 0.59 convictions per 1,000 drivers, while five other London postal areas also feature in the bottom 10 – North West, West, East, South East and South West. Outside London, Luton also features in the bottom 10, as do Bolton, Exeter and St Albans.

The analysis found men are most likely to get behind the wheel while under the influence but the total rate of convictions has increased since 2016 for both male and female drivers, rising from 1.39 to 1.68 per 1,000 for men and from 0.92 to 1.20 per 1,000 for women.

The conviction rate for drink or drug driving is the lowest for over 65s with 0.21 offences per 1,000 drivers, closely followed by 17 to 19 year olds, with just 0.25 convictions. Drivers aged 25 to 29  saw the highest rate of convictions, with three per every 1,000 drivers.

Drivers who have a drink or drug driving conviction will typically see their motor premiums increase at renewal.

To see the drink and drug driving conviction rates in your area, check out MoneySuperMarket’s interactive map.