Summer is peak season for drink driving accidents
- Nordic Alcohol and Drug Policy Network
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
15.07.2025 - Three out of ten serious drink driving accidents occur during the summer months of June, July, and August. Leave the car at home if you plan to drink alcohol, especially if you are a new driver.
More people are charged with drink driving in the summer than in other months of the year.
The festive summer atmosphere and spontaneous gatherings in the sun too often end in serious traffic consequences. In fact, 30 percent of all drink driving accidents involving deaths or serious injuries happen in June, July, and August.
A total of 985 people have been killed or seriously injured in drink driving accidents from 2020 to 2024. Of these, 297—almost a third—were hurt in June, July, and August. This is according to figures from the Danish Road Directorate.
There is a clear overrepresentation of drink driving accidents in the summer compared to the rest of the year, likely because of the way we socialize when the sun is shining and the evenings are warm.
Summer is filled with barbecues, festivals, and social events, where many enjoy the long evenings with alcohol. Unfortunately, this also means that some choose to drive under the influence, which is a serious problem. Think about how you will get home before you head out for a fun evening, and speak up clearly if someone in your group intends to drive with too high a blood alcohol level, says Jakob Bøving Arendt, CEO of the Danish Road Safety Council.
See the campaign against drink driving: "Ready to blow?"
New lower blood alcohol limit On 1 July, the blood alcohol limit for new drivers—those who have had a license for less than three years—was lowered to 0.2. In practice, this means no alcohol at all if you plan to drive, because even a small amount will put you over the 0.2 limit, which is essentially a threshold value.
It is positive that there is now a clear signal to new drivers that alcohol and driving do not mix. New drivers lack experience and routine, and their ability to drive is impaired even at low blood alcohol levels, so it is good that new drivers face a clear message not to combine alcohol and driving, says Jakob Bøving Arendt.
See the rules for the 0.2 limit for new drivers
Party, sun, and driving—a dangerous mix
The police charge more people with drink driving during the summer months than in the rest of the year. In July alone, nearly 10 percent of all drink driving charges from 2022 to 2024 were filed, despite many Danes spending time outside Denmark during this period.
Every summer, we see road users who drink too much and get behind the wheel. That is why we check drivers we suspect of being under the influence, which results in both driving bans and hefty fines. We need to stop drink drivers before anything happens, so we are focusing on this area, says Christian Berthelsen, police officer with the National Police Communications Department.
Good advice if you want to intervene: Remember, every time you stop someone from drink driving, you are doing them—and road safety—a favor. Here’s how you can help:
Tell the person you are uncomfortable with them driving
Try to talk them out of driving
Team up with others, so you have support
Call a taxi and, if needed, lend them money for the fare
Offer them a place to stay
Give them a ride if you have not been drinking
If they drive anyway: call the police at 114
Facts about drink driving accidents and charges: People killed or seriously injured in drink driving accidents (where at least one road user was under the influence):
Month | Number killed or seriously injured | Percentage |
Jan | 68 | 7% |
Feb | 62 | 6% |
Mar | 65 | 7% |
Apr | 78 | 8% |
May | 91 | 9% |
Jun | 111 | 11% |
Jul | 91 | 9% |
Aug | 95 | 10% |
Sep | 98 | 10% |
Oct | 74 | 8% |
Nov | 80 | 8% |
Dec | 72 | 7% |
Total | 985 | 100% |
Source: Danish Road Directorate, 2020-2024
Drink driving charges, 2022 to 2024
Month | 2022 | 2022 % | 2023 | 2023 % | 2024 | 2024 % |
January | 375 | 7.1 | 367 | 7.7 | 318 | 6.9 |
February | 407 | 7.7 | 347 | 7.2 | 356 | 7.7 |
March | 410 | 7.8 | 378 | 7.9 | 399 | 8.7 |
April | 464 | 8.8 | 459 | 9.6 | 344 | 7.5 |
May | 421 | 8.0 | 423 | 8.8 | 445 | 9.7 |
June | 497 | 9.4 | 454 | 9.5 | 421 | 9.1 |
July | 485 | 9.2 | 480 | 10.0 | 484 | 10.5 |
August | 422 | 8.0 | 365 | 7.6 | 411 | 8.9 |
September | 427 | 8.1 | 400 | 8.3 | 373 | 8.1 |
October | 523 | 9.9 | 393 | 8.2 | 385 | 8.4 |
November | 413 | 7.8 | 333 | 6.9 | 338 | 7.3 |
December | 432 | 8.2 | 396 | 8.3 | 335 | 7.3 |
Total | 5,276 | 100.0 | 4,795 | 100.0 | 4,609 | 100.0 |
Source: National Police
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