THE number of deaths in drink-drive accidents soared last year, according to provisional Government figures.
An estimated 290 people were killed in drink-drive accidents in Britain in 2012 -around 25% more than the figure of 230 in 2011, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.
The 2012 figures were made worse by the fact that the 2011 total was the lowest since records began in 1979.
The 2012 figures showed that the 290 deaths represented 17% of all reported road fatalities.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said the rise in drink-drive deaths was "very disturbing".
The department also published provisional road casualty figures for all types of accidents in the first three months of 2013.
The DfT statistics showed that 340 people were killed in reported road accidents in Britain in the period January-March 2013.
Serious injuries in the first three months of this year were down 19%, with slight injuries decreasing 14%.
Motorcyclist, pedal cyclist and pedestrian deaths and serious injuries fell sharply.
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