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UK Drug-Driving Endorsements Rise to 30,707 While Drink-Driving Endorsements Fall to 29,769
UK authorities added 30,707 drug-driving endorsements to driving licences in 2025, exceeding the 29,769 drink-driving endorsements recorded that year. The data came from a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA by IAM RoadSmart.
Jul 9, 5:09 AM·1m read1 source
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Drug-driving endorsements on UK driving licences reached 30,707 in 2025, surpassing the 29,769 drink-driving endorsements recorded in the same period for the first time. GB News reported the figures from a Freedom of Information request filed by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart with the DVLA.
The total for drug-driving endorsements crossed 30,000 for the first time and rose 28 per cent from 23,981 recorded in 2022.
Drink-driving endorsements fell 17 per cent over the same span from 35,976. Drivers aged 17 to 24 accounted for 18 per cent of drug-driving endorsements despite representing 6 per cent of all licence holders. Those aged 17 to 19 received more than 1,100 such endorsements, while drivers aged 60 and over received 464.
GB News reported that 149 people died in UK crashes where drugs were a contributory factor in 2023, up from 78 in 2015. Approximately 50 per cent of drivers stopped on suspicion of drug-driving test positive, compared with 16 per cent of those tested for alcohol. Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and external communications at IAM RoadSmart, said the figures indicate the problem is worsening.
He called for immediate licence suspension powers for police after failed roadside drug tests and a national drug-drive rehabilitation programme.
