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Drunk women drivers 'lonely'

A rampant increase in female drunken driving offenders can be linked to separation issues, according to a report in the London Daily Mail.

Academics at the University of Nottingham say that although young men in their 20’s are the primarily offenders (fourfold as likely to be involved in a drunken driving accident) older females are increasingly being found driving under the influence of alcohol.

Researchers reviewed data collated by 26 previous studies and discovered that women who drank alcohol before driving were older and better educated, yet also had a lower income and were more likely to be separated, divorced or widowed than men in their 20’s.

NUMBERS DOUBLED

The study's leader said the profile of female drink-driving offenders being divorced, widowed or separated indicated that they were distressed by their situation and were turning to drink for solace.

Accordingly the sheer number of women drivers being caught driving over the alcohol limit in the UK has nearly doubled. In 1995 6793 female drivers were found guilty of alcohol-related driving offences.

In 2004 this number had swelled to 10 765.
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