Drink driving crashes injured more than 1,000 and killed 21 in the past three years.

As people start returning to bars and back garden parties with lockdown easing, Kent County Council has released the figures to warn against the damage just one drink can do.

Any amount of alcohol can leave your reaction time, judgment and coordination impaired enough to cause a crash.

This was the case for the 676 crashes caused by a driver being above the legal alcohol limit over the last three years - resulting in 21 fatalities. One collision last year resulted in nine casualties.

Three-quarters of these drivers were male and most were aged between 25 and 40.

Colin King, area manager for customer safety at Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Everyone knows it is against the law to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs - it’s as simple as that.

“If you saw what our crews have to see at these incidents, you would think twice about getting behind the wheel while under the influence. Please, help us to keep our roads safer and don’t drive if you’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”

Aside from the risk of injuring themselves and others, drink drivers can face a prison sentence, fines, points on their licence, increased insurance premiums and losing their job.

Vicky Harvey, Kent County Council road safety team leader, said: “This year’s summer drink-drive campaign is not just about people going to pubs and driving home.

“With the coronavirus pandemic there’s many more of us going for drinks at friends' and family’s gardens or meeting up in a park and we want people to realise that just one drink can increase the chances of having a crash, sometimes with tragic consequences.

“With increased opportunities to drink over the summer, we know that drink driving incidents increase between June to August. A drink driver can cause a serious crash and change yours and someone else’s life forever.

“Act responsibly this summer and please do not drink and drive. It’s not just those above the limit that are at risk as you don’t have to be drunk to be dangerous; so is one drink worth the risk?”

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