Particular attention in the informative and analytical review “Traffic accidents in the Russian Federation for 2022” should be paid to the section on “drunken” traffic accidents and everything related to them. One way or another, we are all used to the fact that the number of victims of such accidents on Russian roads is steadily decreasing – by about 8% per year. That’s great, but it turns out that the number of incidents themselves is not decreasing.
For example, in 2015, 48,600 such incidents were recorded. Of these, 21,000 were injured. In 2022, the total number of “drunk” accidents was 47,000, with injuries – 14,400. But by 2021, drunk drivers accounted for nearly 51,000 accidents, of which 15,700 were killed or injured.
What do these numbers say? Yes, on average about 48,000-49,000 accidents every year attributable to drunk drivers, and this figure doesn’t change much. Although the number of motorists in whom traffic cops show signs of being drunk also fluctuates from year to year, if so, then within the margin of error. So, in 2022 there were 467,000 such drivers, and a year earlier – 476,000 people.
It turns out that about the same number of people get behind the wheel of a drunk (and the traffic police come across). And this – despite all kinds of tougher penalties for driving under the influence.