ROAD collisions in Jersey linked to alcohol doubled in the past year, new figures have revealed.
The new statistics from Public Health also highlighted that Islanders continue to drink more per person than many other western jurisdictions, although this has decreased slightly in recent years.
The figures were part of the latest Alcohol Profile report, which paints a picture of drinking habits in Jersey, and also revealed that one-in-four adults were drinking at “harmful” levels.
Government data released yesterday showed that the number of road traffic collisions involving alcohol rose from 10 in 2023 to 20 in 2024 – with the majority of the 15 hit-and-run collisions reported over this period involving alcohol.
People with higher incomes, homeowners and those in full-time work were just as likely – or more likely – to drink heavily or binge, according to the report.
Overall, people in Jersey drink more than the UK average. The Island’s per capita alcohol consumption now stands at 10.8 litres of pure alcohol per person, down from 12 litres in 2022 but above the UK (9.3 litres) and in line with high-consuming countries like France and Russia.
Men continue to drink more than women, with 29% exceeding weekly NHS guidelines compared to 12% of women. One-in-three men in Jersey came under the “harmful” banner – which is classified through a scoring system rather than a set “units per week” calculation – compared with one-in-six women.
The most frequent binge drinking happens among Islanders aged 45 to 54, and around one-in-five adults say they regularly go over the recommended limits.
In 2023, there were 1,059 alcohol-specific hospital admissions. Nearly 80% of those patients were men. Another 412 alcohol-related admissions were also recorded. While these figures have dropped slightly since 2022, they are still significantly higher than the average in England.
The number of deaths caused by alcohol is also rising. Around 45 people in Jersey died from alcohol-specific conditions between 2021 and 2023 – 80% of them were men. These statistics relate to deaths wholly attributable to alcohol, such as alcoholic liver disease, alcohol poisoning and alcohol-induced mental and behavioural disorders. This marks one of the highest figures in recent years, with 25 deaths from alcohol-specific deaths between 2019 and 2021.
The new report also shed light on the role alcohol plays in Jersey’s pub and nightclub industry. Between 2023 and 2024, the police recorded 600 offences linked to the night-time period in St Helier. These included 430 assaults, 90 grave or criminal assaults and 35 sexual offences. Alcohol-related sexual assaults rose from 10 cases in 2023 to 15 in 2024.
Despite the rising cost of alcohol – prices have more than doubled since 2000, increasing faster than the rate of overall inflation – demand remains strong. The average household spends £14.10 per week on alcohol to drink at home, compared to £8.90 spent on alcohol in bars and restaurants. Wine is the most commonly bought drink, followed by beer and spirits.
There are, however, signs of increasing abstinence among younger Islanders, with more than half of secondary school students saying they have never tried alcohol.
The report revealed that 55% of students in Years 6, 8, 10, and 12 had never consumed alcohol – up from 52% in 2021—while teetotalism among Year 8 students rose from 17% in 2006 to 70% in 2024.
