RTL Today - William Knox: Do we have a drinking problem?

According to a recent study, drivers in Luxembourg are among the worst in Europe – too fast, too often on their phones, and too drunk – raising the question of whether it is time for an intervention.

This Swiss study claims drivers in Luxembourg are among the top-five most reckless in Europe. Embedded within a series of unflattering statistics, Luxembourg stands out for having the highest self-reported rate of drink driving on the continent – an alarming 37.2% of all drivers.

Notoriously, self-reporting is unreliable and often reflects a lower than true value when people are asked to confess a negative trait – the true number could easily be more.

At a glance, the figures in the Swiss study appear high – nearly four in ten people, almost double the proportion recorded in Austria, where 22.1% of drivers admit to drink-driving. But after giving the statistics some decant time – factoring in the unreliability of data, and the fact that a little alcohol is legally permitted – is it really so bad, or do we actually have a drinking problem?

Comparing national data

If we take a more intimate look at Austria and Luxembourg, we should first consider the legal limits for consumption. Austria and Luxembourg make for a good comparison.

Both countries share similar maximum levels of 0.5% of alcohol per litre of blood or 0.25 m/gl in breath. For a person weighing 70 kilograms, this equates to approximately half a pint to a pint of beer, or a small glass of wine.

This is a common guideline that differs slightly for new drivers, and drivers of other types of vehicles, but is consistent for most car drivers.

It is also a fact that in general, comparisons can be drawn when one examines the proportion of non-fatal accidents under the influence requiring police involvement. When officers are called to a collision with injury to a person, a report is – without exception – filed and all drivers are tested for drugs and alcohol.

This stage of the reporting process is almost identical in Austria and Luxembourg.

We have recent Austrian data (2023) comparable with the last report in 2022 by the Luxembourg Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC), which records that in Austria 8% of all road traffic accidents involved drink driving. Luxembourg, meanwhile, recorded a staggering 16% of all road traffic accidents to have involved a driver over the minimum limit.

A true comparison is still difficult to draw. There are variables that might explain the difference; for example, Luxembourg has flatter terrain, and significantly less snow – perhaps making it slightly safer to drive. Nevertheless, 16% within its own context remains an alarming figure.

The statistics make for more sober reading when one examines the fatalities involving drivers who have driven after a dram. STATEC figures suggest that over 20% of all fatal road accidents in Luxembourg were caused by a driver over the minimum alcohol limits – at least one in five.

Comparing Austrian and Luxembourgish fatality data is not straightforward. In Austria, the reporting system is that fatal accidents that do not involve a second vehicle, or if the drunk driver dies, there is a good chance the accident is not registered as a drink-driving incident – this may contribute to its lower under-the-influence fatality data when compared to Luxembourg.

When contacted, Luxembourg police stated that fatalities are "generally" tested, which is somewhat vague. Trustworthy comparable data between Luxembourg and Austria on alcohol-related traffic fatalities does not exist, each country's data is only relevant to its self – this is also the case with other European nations.

Speed kills – moreso when morose

Of concern in the Swiss study reporting on Luxembourg was the figure that approximately 80% of drivers in the Grand Duchy confess to exceeding the speed limit – a strikingly high proportion and a dangerous statistic in its own right. If alcohol is involved in 21% of all fatal accidents, and of these, 41% involve speeding, it makes for a deadly cocktail.

By contrast, speeding while sober accounts for 21% of fatal accidents – making the risk of a fatal crash while speeding and sober roughly half that of speeding while drunk. In other words, if you drink and speed, you are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal accident.

What about zero tolerance?

A zero-tolerance approach to drink driving is often touted as a solution to the scourge of drink driving and, although adopted by several European countries, is problematic due to a variety of factors. Issues can emerge to naturally occurring reactions in the body, medicines, perfectly legal consumption, and a host of other reasons for trace amounts of alcohol – this could be as mundane as mouthwash.

Furthermore, if people are responsible, within the guidelines that exist, there is little data that would suggest a zero-tolerance approach would make a significant impact – although there is some evidence that even legal levels of alcohol can increase the likelihood of an accident, especially if speeding is involved. Generally, Luxembourg has consistent controls, applicable laws, and consequences, but people still decide to gamble with their life, and the lives of others.

Should there be tougher penalties?

Ostensibly, Luxembourg is no stricter, or lenient, when compared to most other countries in Europe apart from the fact that negligible drink driving is treated gingerly with marginal infractions being punished with a paltry €145 fine. Compare this to Scotland – plausibly with lower drink driving fatality statistics – where if you are minutely above the limit you will likely receive a 12-month driving ban.

So, does the Grand Duchy have a drink-driving problem?

Arguably, it does. Any unnecessary injury or death preventable by abstaining from alcohol is worrisome. It is also the case that accidents caused by drink driving are exacerbated by high instances of speeding in the Grand Duchy. Given the stakes, perhaps there should be harsher punishments for those skirting the limits – especially when alcohol and speeding are combined.

Data comparisons and sources like the Swiss study are problematic. One cannot reliably compare roads, attitudes, weather, data collection methods, and frequency of police checks with Luxembourg's European neighbours.

However, numerical semantics pale in significance when presented with a preventable tragedy. When confronted by the statistics above, citizens of the Grand Duchy should reassess their relationship to road safety, alcohol, and speeding. We are well educated on the risks of drink driving, and when it goes wrong, which it often does, the suffering it can cause is immeasurable.

Ultimately, there is no excuse for drink driving, speeding, or looking at your phone instead of the road – plenty of you do it. Be responsible, if for no other reason than respect for others. Please don't become a statistic, or another news report this editor has to publish.