This 2025 research for the Road Safety Authority tracks a series of Road Safety Performance Indicators which were first benchmarked in 2021 and have been annually tracked since. Survey data on these indicators facilitates measuring the progress and effectiveness of road safety initiatives; and contribute to the understanding of the different issues that influence overall road safety performance. The 2025 online survey comprised a nationally representative sample of 1,059 motorists aged 17+ who are regular drivers* (‘at least a few days a month’); quota controlled in terms of gender, age, region and area. Fieldwork was conducted in October 2025.

P.4 Driving after Drinking Alcohol: Summary - Drivers who have driven after drinking alcohol (‘Any Alcohol’) are much more likely to report being checked by police (30% vs. 16% all motorists). This group also shows an entirely separate level of personal acceptability to drink driving, at 46% versus the national average of 19%.

P.5 Location and Time of Driving Over the Legal Limit for Alcohol - The indications are that the most common scenario for a driver to be on the road while potentially over the legal alcohol limit is: after drinking in a pub, restaurant, or at home, and then driving on a rural road, with a slightly higher likelihood of this occurring over a weekend. 

P.6 Illicit Drugs & Driving: Summary - Drivers who engage in drug-related offences are twice as likely to have been checked by police in the past year; however, their perceived likelihood of being checked in the future remains aligned with the national average. They have a much stronger belief that drug driving is socially acceptable.

P.7 Enforcement: Perceived Likelihood of Being Check - Perceived likelihood of being checked by police for drugs and mobile phone use has risen this year: 24% of motorists consider it likely they will be checked for drug use (vs.20% last year) and 31% for using a handheld mobile phone (vs. 25% last year). 

P.8 Support for Increasing Penalties - The responses reveal a strong demand for stricter enforcement. There is overwhelming support for increased penalties for drivers impaired by combined alcohol and drugs (86% support). Public backing is also strong for using technology for enforcement (71%), with more moderate, though still majority, support for educational alternatives to speeding penalties.