Drunk Driving Statistics

It should come as no surprise that drunk driving is a big problem in the United States. Every day, nearly 30 people die in an automobile accident that involved a driver drinking alcohol. That breaks down to about one death every 48 minutes. In fact, in 2009, it was reported that approximately one-third of all automobile accidents in the United States involved an alcohol-impaired driver. In addition to alcohol posing a problem on our roadways, drugs are another issue. After analyzing accident data, it was found that 18% of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States involved a person using drugs. Often times, there is a combination of alcohol and drugs in a person’s system.

The Personal And National Costs Of Drunk Driving

Alcohol and drug-related automobile accidents are not just costing people’s lives, they are also costing the United States money--and lots of it. On an annual basis, more than 51 million dollars is spent on the aftermath of alcohol or drug-related automobile accidents.

While everyone can and should avoid drinking and driving, there are certain groups of people who are considered to be the most at risk. For instance, more than one out of every three drivers who had an alcohol-related automobile crash involved a younger driver between the age of 21 and 24, according to data recorded in 2009 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Younger drivers should be extra cautious when operating a motor vehicle due to their lack of experience behind the wheel. Motorcyclists are also flirting with disaster when it comes to drinking and driving. After all, you don’t have the protection of being inside a car with airbags if you suddenly crash. Not surprisingly, repeat drunk driving offenders also fall into this “high risk” category of drinking and driving.

Avoid Becoming A Statistic; Don't Drink And Drive