According to a report published this week, 4% of drivers in Switzerland drive after drinking alcohol. However, only 0.4% have a level of alcohol at or above the legal limit.
Drunk driving remains one of the greatest road safety risks in Switzerland, causing around one in every eight road accidents. In 2023, alcohol caused 506 serious injuries on Swiss roads and led to the death of 31 people, said the report published by BPA.
The vast majority of those driving after drinking were over the age of 30. Only 0.1% of drivers under the age of 30 were driving over the legal limit.
The legal limit in Switzerland is 0.5 units per thousand units of blood. Drivers with a 3-year probationary licence are not allowed to drink any alcohol before driving – a limit of 0.1 units per thousand units of blood for this group accommodates blood alcohol that may result from food fermentation.
Since 2017, the number of serious road accidents linked to alcohol has been rising. Many drivers are unaware that alcohol consumption below the legal limit impairs driving, said BPA. Visual awareness and reaction times are both affected.
More on this:
BPA article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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