Over 10 pct severe accidents involve drunk driver

Photo: Olev Kaas

A drunk driver is involved in over 10 percent of severe accidents that happen in Estonia but the number of such accidents has decreased in comparison with previous years, an analysis of traffic accidents in the first six months of this year by the Road Administration shows.

Of the 583 severe traffic accidents registered from January to June this year, a drunk driver was involved in 61 cases -- 17 fewer than last year and 16 fewer than in 2011.

Traffic accidents involving drunk drivers left four people dead and 96 injured in the first half of the year. The corresponding figures last year were respectively nine and 112. A total of 28 people have died and 736 have gotten injured in traffic accidents this year so far.

Analyzing road accidents of the last 12 months, the Road Administration found that the number of DUI drivers involved in accidents was the biggest in the 25-40 age group, totaling 59. Among the 18-24- and 41-64-year-olds respectively 47 and 42 drunk drivers were involved in traffic accidents. In three cases an underage driver and in another three cases a drunk driver aged over 65 was involved.