The Government says its crackdown on drunk driving is paying off, with newly released statistics showing a sharp drop in alcohol-related road deaths.

Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Police Minister Mark Mitchell said alcohol-related fatalities fell nearly 40 percent last year, with 92 deaths in 2023 compared to 57 in 2024.

Bishop said the Road Policing Investment Programme (RPIP) was delivering strong results by focusing on enforcement and targeting major crash risks like alcohol and drug impairment.

“Police have really stepped up their road policing efforts in the past year,” Bishop said.

In 2024, police carried out more than 4.1 million passive and breath screening tests — the highest number ever recorded in a calendar year and well above the RPIP target of 3.3 million.

Mitchell said most of those tests were carried out at the most dangerous times. Between July 2024 and March 2025, police delivered more than 2.1 million tests during high or extreme risk alcohol hours — 35 percent above the target and 21 percent higher than the same period the previous year.

Bishop said the increase in roadside testing helped drive the national road toll in 2024 to its lowest level in a decade.

“Every avoidable road death is a tragedy and there’s always more work to do, but this is a big step in the right direction,” he said.

The ministers said the drop in deaths came despite pressures such as a growing population, more cars on the road, and more kilometres being driven.

Mitchell said roadside drug testing would begin later this year, following legislation passed in March 2025.

“Anyone who drives while under the influence of drugs should know that they’re putting themselves and other road users at risk – and we’re not going to put up with it,” he said.

“Every breath test delivered has the potential to save a life, and you can continue to expect Police highly visible on our roads.”