Long-standing road killers include alcohol. According to the NHTSA, drinking and driving causes 28 deaths per day in the United States. That is more than 10,000 lives lost each year to drunk driving. About 1/3 of all traffic fatalities are caused by drunk driving. It takes only a split second to react and drunk driving can have devastating consequences.
A driver is considered legally impaired when the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) measures 0.08 or higher. Driving while impaired by alcohol can severely affect a driver’s ability and speed to operate a motor vehicle safely. It can lead to death. This is why impaired driving is against the law in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Statistics on drunk driving
- According to the NHTSA, one alcohol-related death happens every 52 minutes.
- Driving drunk causes over 10,000 deaths each year, which is about 1/3 of all traffic-related deaths.
- According to the NHTSA, in a single year, more than 300 children were killed in drunk driving crashes.
- Drinking and driving costs more than $44 billion in deaths and damages annually.
Deaths from drunk driving each year
More than 10,000 people are killed each year by drunk driving, although this number has been decreasing in recent years. The number of traffic fatalities due to alcohol is just below 30% each year. This trend is slowly beginning to decline.
2021 Drunk driving statistics
In the latest drunk driving statistics from the NHTSA, age, gender and location are significant factors. Young people, motorcyclists, and drivers who have had prior DWI convictions are at greatest risk of drunk driving.
Age
Young drivers are at greatest risk of drunk driving. Drivers between 21 and 24 years old account for 27% in fatal alcohol-impaired crash deaths. Close behind are drivers 25 to 34 years old (25%). Historical implementation of minimum-drinking age laws has saved more than 30,000 lives. To reduce the high rate of drunk driving deaths in young people, the minimum drinking age should be 21.
Gender
- Drunk driving accidents are four times more common in men than they are in women
- The majority of drunk driving deaths are attributed to men
- It takes 4 drinks for a 180-pound male to reach legal intoxication level, and 2 drinks for a 120-pound female to get there.
Statisticians who drive drunk in each state
California, Texas, and Florida have the highest annual number of alcohol-related deaths. NHTSA data for 2018 shows that there were 1,677 drunk driving deaths in Texas and 1,24 in California. There were 958 in Florida.
Rhode Island (25), Vermont (23) and North Dakota (33) have the lowest annual number of alcohol-related deaths.
More populous states tend to have higher drunk driving fatalities. After accounting for population, Montana has 48% of drunk driving fatalities, while Kansas, Kentucky and West Virginia have 24%.
COVID and drunk driving
Other distractions drivers face on the roads, combined with the stress of COVID-19, the resulting pandemic and other driver trends, are worrying — especially in conjunction drunk driving and driving deaths.
The rise in drug use is also a concern, as more impaired drivers are getting behind the wheel. Approximately 16% of all car crashes involve drug use, which excludes alcohol. The growing legalization of marijuana in many U.S. states has also led to a rise in marijuana-related crashes.
2019 showed a marked decrease in drunk driving fatalities from 2018, a positive step by all accounts.
These statistics were also influenced by COVID-19, which in turn affected drunk driving trends.
By September 2020, drunk driving fatalities increased almost five percent from the same period in 2019, although total miles traveled decreased about 14.5 percent. In just one year, the fatality rate jumped from 1.10 to 1.35. Only 10% of fatal crashes were caused by drivers under the influence of drugs, alcohol, and medication.
Statistics on drunk driving over the years
Drunk driving numbers are down in the last 10 years overall, thanks to the tireless efforts of citizen activist groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), combined with continued enforcement from public agencies like the NHTSA and CDC. Trends in drunk driving have decreased as more people are aware of the dangers of alcohol. With the rise of ridesharing services Uber and Lyft, it is easier and more affordable to hitch a ride with someone sober.
Historical data shows the overall trend.
- Since 1985, the number of drunk driving deaths has fallen by 44%
- Since 1985, the percentage of traffic deaths involving alcohol impairment has fallen by 31%.
Drunk driving can have serious consequences
Driving drunk can make your life miserable. Drunk driving can have a negative impact on your insurance, even if it does not cause injury to another person. Your car insurance rates could be affected by a driver record that shows you have been driving while impaired (DUI) and driving while intoxicated(DWI).
These can have devastating consequences.
Car insurance rates affected by drunk driving
The laws regarding drunk driving have changed significantly over the years. States have taken the initiative and added their own requirements to the federal traffic laws. You can be charged with impaired driving offenses as either misdemeanors and felony offenses. This could lead to fines, suspension of your driver’s licence, or even jail time. Repeat offenders are likely to be sentenced and have their license suspended. However, they can still be fined and ordered to pay legal fees and more than $10,000.
Legal repercussions aside, there’s still your car insurance company. When you have a DUI or DWI on your record, insurers generally assess you as a high-risk driver and often increase your premiums to cover that increased risk. The average Travelers Group auto policy costs $1,428 per year, but rates go up to $2,442 if you have a DUI conviction. On average, post-DUI car insurance rates can increase anywhere from $800 to $3,000, depending on factors like your auto insurance provider, case details and driver history.
How to avoid drunk driving
As more people are affected by the harmful effects of driving and drinking, public attitudes continue to shift. There is more education available and more laws to assist new drivers in understanding the rules and potential dangers of driving. Driving is a huge responsibility. New drivers need to understand this.
There are some things that you can do as a caregiver or parent to help your new drivers adapt to a safer driving experience.
- Talk to your children. Education starts at home. As a family member, it is easier to get to the drivers. Make sure they are aware of the dangers and consequences of alcohol. Teens and new drivers need to understand the serious responsibility they have.
- Use rideshare.
Thanks to ridesharing companies, it’s easier than ever to grab a ride. Lyft and Uber are widely available in the U.S., and they often come at a lower price than traditional taxi fare. - Get on a scooter.
The scooter is today’s greenest option for transportation. Lime and Bird offer electric scooters for a nominal fee. If you want something more traditional, there are several options for standard and electric bikes. - Spend the night.
Sometimes, it’s best to just do nothing if you’re drunk. It’s safer to stay in a safe area until the morning and not drive home. - Plan ahead.
Whatever your plans, you should have a plan before you set out on your adventure. You should find somewhere to stay before you go so that you can make informed decisions. You can also ask a friend to crash with you or schedule a driver to take you home. - Do not drink and drive
No matter what, you must not drive drunken or buzzed. You can give your keys to a sober friend and ask for a designated driver.