ESSEX University researchers say the fine for drink driving would need to be £22,800 to reflect the true cost of the crime.

The new study by Prof Marco Francesconi and Dr Jonathan James provides a picture of the consequences of binge drinking, by estimating its impact on road accidents, A&E attendance and arrests. 

Their study found binge drinking increases road accidents by 18.6 per cent and fatal accidents by 72 per cent.

It also found A&E attendance went up by six per cent and the number of arrests for alcohol-related incidents by 71 per cent.

Prof Francesconi said: “We used our estimates of the effect on road accidents to put a monetary value on the cost of binge drinking on the agencies left to pick up the pieces – including the NHS and the police.  A conservative estimate is £1.52 billion a year.

“At current arrest rates for drink driving in England, that works out at around £22,800 for every drink driving arrest.”