Drink driving laws ‘increase suicides’

TOUGHER drink-driving laws are leading to more suicides among older men who are already suffering isolation in rural areas, a coroner has claimed.

Terence Casey, who previously highlighted a growing incidence of suicide among elderly males, said that while new road safety legislation may be reducing the number of road deaths, it was leading to more suicides.

“I believe this [new legislation] is part of the reason more older men are taking their own lives. These people are often widowed, or single, and living alone. They can’t go to the local pub for a pint because they’re afraid they’ll be caught for drink driving. They were used to going out for one or two pints with friends, but are not doing that any more as one pint could put a person over the limit,” said Mr Casey.