1,000 DRINK-DRIVE DEATHS IN 10 YEARS; RSA claims men are main culprits in road chaos.

Byline: SARAH STACK

DRINK driving may have caused more than 1,000 fatal crashes over the last decade, it emerged yesterday.

The Road Safety Authority said motorists are six times more likely to have a collision when at the drink driving limit.

The research was revealed by experts from across Europe attending a lecture on alcohol and driving at Dublin Castle.

It is believed driving under the influence contributes to as many as 10,000 deaths on EU roads every year and more than 1,000 fatal collisions in Ireland between 1999 to 2008.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said behind every statistic is a life lost, grieving family and shattered community. He added: "The over-whelming body of scientific evidence could not be any clearer.

"Any amount of alcohol impairs driving and increases the risk of being in a collision. Thankfully the majority of people in this country now believe that drinking and driving is simply not acceptable behaviour in today's society."

The RSA said drink driving is a male problem and can cause one in three fatal collisions. It also warned almost one-in-five drivers killed with alcohol in their system were under the legal limit when they died.

Gay Byrne, RSA chairman, said: "As a society, we must finally lay to rest any lingering doubts that drink-driving and its consequences are unintentional."

Government wants to reduce collisions, deaths and injuries by 30%, which could save 400 lives by 2012.