Men Versus Women: Drunk Driving Statistics

When you mix alcohol with driving, you are risking your life and the lives of others. This is a dangerous choice and it continues to be a problem in the United States. The good news is that the number of drinking and driving episodes has decreased by 30% in the last five years. The bad news is that about 30 people die every day due to an alcohol-related automobile accident. In fact, one-third of every fatal automobile accident involved someone who chose to drink and drive. In an effort to truly understand who the biggest risk groups are, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the following information.

Who Is At A Higher Risk Of Driving Drunk?

In 2010, men were responsible for four out of every five DUIs. And although only 11% of the adult population is made up of males between the ages of 21 and 34, this high-risk group was responsible for 32% of all drunk driving episodes. Last, but certainly not least, binge drinkers also fall into this high-risk group of those most likely to drink and drive. In fact, a male who drank at least five alcoholic beverages in a short amount of time (or a female who drank at least four) caused 85% of all reported drunk driving incidents.

To help control the number of drunk driving episodes, states have lowered the blood alcohol content limit to .08%. This is a “per se” violation and it has absolutely nothing to do with how intoxicated a person may or may not be. It’s simply a limit imposed by the state.

National Standards Of Drunk Driving Laws

According to sources like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a BAC of .08% equates to about four beers. However, you can be arrested for DUI with a BAC under this limit if you are showing signs of intoxication, such as failing field sobriety testing.

The penalties for a DUI are serious no matter where you live even if this is your first offense. You could be looking at expensive fines, community service, loss of driver’s license, probation, alcohol abuse treatment and even jail time.