Overview
- Direct Line’s survey of more than 2,000 adults found 37–38% of 18–27 year‑olds say driving slightly over the limit is more socially acceptable, compared with 9% of baby boomers.
- Only 64% of Gen Z say the safest approach is not drinking at all before driving, versus 83% of the wider public and 92% of boomers.
- Knowledge gaps are pronounced, with about one in ten Gen Z respondents correctly identifying the legal limit and many struggling to relate drink volumes to breath or blood thresholds.
- A government road safety strategy, reported as signed off and due early next year, is expected to cut the England and Wales breath‑alcohol limit from 35µg/100ml to 22µg/100ml to match Scotland.
- Risk indicators remain high for younger drivers, with DfT data showing over a third of drink‑drive collisions involve under‑30s and the Crime Survey reporting 6.2% of 20–24s drove when they thought they were over the limit versus 4.7% of over‑50s.