Past Drunk Driving Accident Statistics

Understanding Drunk Driving Statistics

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) refers to drunk driving crashes as "alcohol-impaired-driving" accidents. The NHTSA's figures often change as more data becomes available. The following statistics are estimates and subject to fluctuation. But even if the numbers change with time, the lesson remains the same – drunk driving claims lives.

Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Statistics (2011)

In 2011, Pennsylvania experienced a decrease in drunk driving accidents. Alcohol-related crashes fell from 12,426 to 11,805.
There were 428 drunk driving deaths in Pennsylvania in 2011.
26 percent of drunk driving deaths in 2011 were in the 16-20 age group.
In 2011, alcohol-related deaths were 33% of the total traffic deaths, nearly the same as in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
On average each day, 32 crashes alcohol-related crashes occurred in 2011.
Additionally, 1.2 persons were killed and 23 persons were injured on average each day in Pennsylvania in 2011 because of an alcohol-related accident.

Pennsylvania & National Drunk Driving Accident Statistics (2010)

Nationally, alcohol-related deaths declined in 2010 by 4.9%. However, they still made up 31% of the overall traffic fatalities in 2010.
In 2010, there were 12,426 alcohol-related vehicle accidents in Pennsylvania, which was a decrease from 2009 (12,712).
In 2010, there were 459 fatalities that involved alcohol in Pennsylvania -- an increase from 449 in 2009. They accounted for 35% of all traffic collision deaths.
Nearly one-third (31%) of driver deaths ages 16-20 were drinking drivers, which is an increase from 2009.
One-half (50%) of deaths ages 21 to 25 were drinking drivers, up from 44% in 2009. The 26-30 age range improved to 45%, down from 51% in 2009.
In 2010, 459 people died in alcohol-related crashes.
Nearly three-fourths (72%) of drinking drivers in crashes were male.
The majority of alcohol-related crashes occurred when it was dark, usually on the weekends.
In 2010, 34 alcohol-related crashes occurred in Pennsylvania every day (on average).
In 2010, 26 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes in Pennsylvania every day (on average).

United States Drunk Driving Car Accident Statistics (2009)

Three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.
Of fatal accidents in 2009, 32 percent involved alcohol-impaired drivers.
On average, one person died every 48 minutes in 2009 due to an alcohol-impaired driver.
In 2009, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico made it illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher. Of the 10,839 people who died in an alcohol-related crash, 7,281 (67 percent) had drivers with BACs above the legal limit.
For fatal crashes occurring from midnight to 3 a.m., 66 percent involved alcohol-impaired driving.
On New Year's Day, 468 people were killed in car accidents. Alcohol-impaired driving contributed to 40 percent of them.
Fatal crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers occurred four times more at night than during the day (37 percent versus 9 percent).
Of the drivers involved in fatal crashes, 30 percent of males had a BAC of .01+ and 25 percent had a BAC of .08+; 16 percent of women had a BAC of .01+ and 14 percent had a BAC of .08+.
Of people ages 21 to 24 involved in fatal crashes, 35 percent had a BAC above the legal limit.
In 2009, 14 percent of children ages 14 and younger killed in crashes died because of alcohol.
More than 181 children were killed due to drivers who were drunk.
Drivers with a BAC level of .08 or higher in fatal crashes were eight times more likely to have a prior conviction for driving while under the influence.
The most frequently recorded BAC level among drinking drivers in fatal crashes was .17, which is more than twice the legal limit.

Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Car Accident Statistics (2009)

There were 449 alcohol-related auto accident deaths in Pennsylvania in 2009.
More than 10,800 crashes in PA involved drinking drivers; 215 of them were fatal.
Nearly 450 people died in 2009 because of an alcohol-related accident in Pennsylvania.
For drivers ages 16 to 20 involved in fatal crashes, 27 percent of them involved alcohol.
For drivers ages 21 to 25, 44 percent of drivers killed had been drinking.
In 2009, 36 percent of the total traffic deaths were alcohol-related.
Nearly three-quarters of drinking drivers in PA were male.
Most alcohol-related crashes happened at night, usually during the weekends (72 percent).
On average, 26 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes every day in PA.
There were 1,294 underage drinking drivers involved in crashes in PA in 2009.

The following table of stats shows the total state-by-state auto accident fatalities in 2008 and the percentage of car crash deaths that involved a driver who had .08% blood-alcohol content or higher.

2009 Total Auto Accident Fatalities and Drunk Driving Deaths in the United States
State	Total Crash Deaths	Drunk Driving Deaths	Pct. of Total	State	Total Crash Deaths	Drunk Driving Deaths	Pct. of Total
Alabama	848	280	33%	Montana	221	81	36%
Alaska	64	20	31%	Nebraska	223	66	30%
Arizona	807	219	27%	Nevada	243	68	28%
Arkansas	585	168	29%	New Hampshire	110	30	27%
California	3,081	950	31%	New Jersey	583	149	25%
Colorado	465	158	34%	New Mexico	361	114	32%
Connecticut	223	99	44%	New York	1,156	321	28%
Delaware	116	45	38%	North Carolina	1,314	363	28%
D.C.	29	10	35%	North Dakota	140	54	38%
Florida	2,558	770	30%	Ohio	1,021	324	32%
Georgia	1,284	331	26%	Oklahoma	738	235	32%
Hawaii	109	52	48%	Oregon	377	115	30%
Idaho	226	58	26%	Pennsylvania	1,256	406	32%
Illinois	911	319	35%	Rhode Island	83	34	40%
Indiana	693	210	30%	South Carolina	894	377	42%
Iowa	372	96	26%	South Dakota	131	53	40%
Kansas	386	154	40%	Tennessee	989	303	31%
Kentucky	791	194	25%	Texas	3,071	1,235	40%
Louisiana	821	295	36%	Utah	244	40	16%
Maine	159	47	29%	Vermont	74	23	32%
Maryland	547	162	30%	Virginia	757	243	32%
Massachusetts	334	108	32%	Washington	492	206	42%
Michigan	871	246	28%	West Virginia	356	115	32%
Minnesota	421	108	26%	Wisconsin	561	213	38%
Mississippi	700	234	33%	Wyoming	134	47	35%
Missouri	878	300	34%	Total U.S.	33,808	10,839	32%

United States Drunk Driving Car Accident Statistics (2008)

There were 11,773 drunk driving deaths in 2008.
2008 showed a 9.7% decrease from 2007 in alcohol-impaired driving deaths.
Drunk driving deaths (11,773) accounted for 32% of the total amount of United States car accident deaths (37,261) in 2008.
1,347 children ages 14 and younger died as occupants in car accidents in 2008. Of those deaths, 216 (approx 16%) were the direct result of drunk drivers.
Along with the 1,347 child occupant fatalities, another 34 children died as pedestrians or bikers who were hit by drunk drivers.
Nighttime drivers were four times more likely to die in drunk driving crashes in 2008 than those driving during the daytime.
In 2008, weekend drivers were twice as likely to be involved in drinking and driving car crashes than weekday drivers.
The 21-24 age group accounted for 34% of all alcohol-impaired-drivers who died in accidents in 2008. The 25-34 demographic accounted for 31%, while those from 35-44 years of age accounted for 25%.
Despite being under the legal drinking age, American teens from the ages of 16-20 were more likely to be killed while driving under the influence than adults ages 55-64. Teens accounted for 17% of all drivers who were involved in drunk driving crashes, while those from 55-64 accounted for 12%.
Of the drunk driving crashes where seat belt use was known, nearly 75% of all drunk drivers killed in accidents in 2008 weren't wearing seat belts.
In the United States, a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level of .08 or higher is considered above the legal limit in nearly every state. The most frequently recorded BAC level among drivers who were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving accidents in 2008 was .16, or twice the legal limit.
Drunk drivers who were over the legal limit when they died in 2008 were eight times more likely to have been previously convicted for drunk driving.
In 2008, 6,316 passenger vehicle drivers were over the legal limit when car crashes claimed their lives.
In 2008, it was more dangerous to drive drunk on a motorcycle than in any other vehicle. The percentage of bikers with a BAC level of .08 or greater when they died in a crash was higher than the amount of drunk drivers who died while operating other vehicle types.

2008 Total Auto Accident Fatalities and Drunk Driving Deaths in the United States
State	Total Crash Deaths	Drunk Driving Deaths	Pct. of Total	State	Total Crash Deaths	Drunk Driving Deaths	Pct. of Total
Alabama	966	315	33%	Montana	229	91	40%
Alaska	62	21	34%	Nebraska	208	55	26%
Arizona	937	266	28%	Nevada	324	107	33%
Arkansas	600	171	29%	New Hampshire	139	45	32%
California	3,434	1,029	30%	New Jersey	590	154	26%
Colorado	548	173	32%	New Mexico	366	105	29%
Connecticut	264	86	33%	New York	1,231	341	28%
Delaware	121	45	37%	North Carolina	1,433	423	30%
D.C.	34	9	26%	North Dakota	104	47	45%
Florida	2,978	875	29%	Ohio	1,190	356	30%
Georgia	1,493	416	28%	Oklahoma	749	244	33%
Hawaii	107	42	40%	Oregon	416	136	33%
Idaho	232	78	34%	Pennsylvania	1,468	496	34%
Illinois	1,043	362	35%	Rhode Island	65	25	38%
Indiana	814	208	26%	South Carolina	920	403	44%
Iowa	412	89	22%	South Dakota	119	34	29%
Kansas	385	145	38%	Tennessee	1,035	327	32%
Kentucky	826	200	24%	Texas	3,382	1,269	38%
Louisiana	912	338	37%	Utah	275	46	17%
Maine	155	43	28%	Vermont	73	12	16%
Maryland	591	152	26%	Virginia	824	294	36%
Massachusetts	363	124	34%	Washington	521	182	35%
Michigan	980	282	28%	West Virginia	380	128	34%
Minnesota	456	135	30%	Wisconsin	605	208	34%
Mississippi	783	266	34%	Wyoming	159	67	42%
Missouri	960	310	33%	Total U.S.	37,261	11,773	32%

National Drunk Driving Car Crash Statistics (2007)

The following stats represent total state-by-state auto accident fatalities in 2007 and the percentage of car crash deaths that involved a driver who had .08% blood-alcohol content or higher.

2007 Total Auto Accident Fatalities and Drunk Driving Deaths in the United States
State	Total Crash Deaths	Drunk Driving Deaths	Pct. of Total	State	Total Crash Deaths	Drunk Driving Deaths	Pct. of Total
Alabama	1,110	377	34%	Montana	277	105	38%
Alaska	82	25	30%	Nebraska	256	77	30%
Arizona	1,071	337	31%	Nevada	373	118	32%
Arkansas	649	181	28%	New Hampshire	129	34	26%
California	3,995	1,132	28%	New Jersey	724	201	28%
Colorado	554	167	30%	New Mexico	413	132	32%
Connecticut	296	111	38%	New York	1,332	377	28%
Delaware	117	47	40%	North Carolina	1,676	497	30%
D.C.	44	16	36%	North Dakota	111	53	48%
Florida	3,213	917	29%	Ohio	1,255	389	31%
Georgia	1,641	445	27%	Oklahoma	766	223	29%
Hawaii	138	44	32%	Oregon	455	148	33%
Idaho	252	71	28%	Pennsylvania	1,491	504	34%
Illinois	1,248	439	35%	Rhode Island	69	22	32%
Indiana	898	224	25%	South Carolina	1,077	464	43%
Iowa	446	108	24%	South Dakota	146	44	27%
Kansas	416	109	26%	Tennessee	1,211	377	31%
Kentucky	864	212	25%	Texas	3,466	1,333	38%
Louisiana	993	375	38%	Utah	299	56	19%
Maine	183	66	36%	Vermont	66	22	33%
Maryland	614	178	29%	Virginia	1,027	303	30%
Massachusetts	434	155	36%	Washington	571	195	34%
Michigan	1,087	304	28%	West Virginia	432	138	32%
Minnesota	510	173	34%	Wisconsin	756	314	42%
Mississippi	884	316	36%	Wyoming	150	50	33%
Missouri	992	333	34%	Total U.S.	41,259	13,041	32%

In 2007, approximately 13,041 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving accidents.
Thirty-two states had decreases in drunk driving fatalities compared to 2006, and 18 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico had increases.
California has the largest decrease in fatalities among the states – there were 117 fewer drunk driving deaths in 2007 than there were in 2006.
North Carolina had the largest increase in drunk driving deaths – 66 more in 2007 than in 2006. South Carolina was second with a 44-fatalitiy increase.
Alcohol-related driving fatalities accounted for 31.7% of total traffic deaths.
The age groups that accounted for the largest percent of alcohol-related traffic deaths were ages 25-34 and 45-64. Each made up 23% of the deaths in 2007.
Underage drinkers accounted for 14% of drunk driving deaths.
In 2007, about 67% of alcohol-related driving fatalities were drivers with BACs of .08 or more. Approximately 17% were passengers riding with the drunk drivers.
The age group with the highest percentage of drunk drivers involved in fatal car crashes was 25-34. This age group accounted for 26% of the fatal accidents.
83% of the drivers involved in fatal crashes who had BACs of .08 or higher were male.
In 2007, 57% of the fatal alcohol-related car crashes occurred on the weekends.
The times of day with the highest number of drunk driving fatalities were midnight to 3 a.m. (28%), 9 p.m. to midnight (21%), and then 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (16%).
In 2007, drivers between the ages of 16-20 were involved in 1,719 drunk driving accidents.
68% of the drunk driving fatalities in 2007 involved single-vehicle crashes; 32% involved multi-vehicle crashes.

Pennsylvania Alcohol-Related Car Accident Statistics (2007)

There were 535 alcohol-related deaths in 2007.
91% of those killed in alcohol-related crashes were in the same vehicle as the drunk driver. 72% of those killed were the drunk driver themselves.
77% of drunk drivers involved in crashes were male.
On an average day in 2007, there were 35 alcohol-related crashes with 1.5 fatalities and 27 injured people.
The majority of drunk driving crashes occur at night- 75%
Alcohol-related crash fatalities were highest between the hours of midnight and 4 am.
Alcohol-related crash fatalities were highest on Saturday.
49% of car accident deaths that occured during the holiday weekends were related to alcohol use.

National Drunk Driving Car Crash Statistics (2006)

The following stats represent total state-by-state auto accident fatalities in 2006 and the percentage of deaths in car crashes that involved a driver who had .08% blood-alcohol content or higher.

State	Deaths	Pct.	State	Deaths	Pct.	State	Deaths	Pct.
Alabama	1,206	32%	Kentucky	913	24%	North Dakota	111	37%
Alaska	73	27%	Louisiana	982	37%	Ohio	1,235	31%
Arizona	1,280	32%	Maine	188	27%	Oklahoma	765	26%
Arkansas	665	30%	Maryland	651	30%	Oregon	477	31%
California	4,229	30%	Massachusetts	422	32%	Pennsylvania	1,517	32%
Colorado	533	33%	Michigan	1,081	31%	Rhode Island	81	36%
Connecticut	301	36%	Minnesota	493	31%	South Carolina	1,037	40%
Delaware	148	29%	Mississippi	911	35%	South Dakota	191	36%
D.C.	37	32%	Missouri	1,087	35%	Tennessee	1,286	32%
Florida	3,363	29%	Montana	255	40%	Texas	3,466	39%
Georgia	1,688	27%	Nebraska	266	26%	Utah	284	19%
Hawaii	160	40%	Nevada	432	33%	Vermont	86	30%
Idaho	267	31%	New Hampshire	127	37%	Virginia	961	31%
Illinois	1,254	35%	New Jersey	771	29%	Washington	630	36%
Indiana	896	28%	New Mexico	484	28%	West Virginia	408	32%
Iowa	439	28%	New York	1,454	27%	Wisconsin	722	42%
Kansas	466	29%	North Carolina	1,558	27%	Wyoming	195	35%

Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Car Accident Statistics (2006)

In 2006, there were 13,491 alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.
There were 545 alcohol-related deaths in 2006.
24% of the driver deaths in the 16-20 age group were drinking drivers.
49% of the driver deaths in the 21-25 age group were drinking drivers.
Alcohol-related deaths were 36% of the total traffic deaths.
78% of the drinking drivers involved in accidents were male.
79% of the alcohol-related crashes happened during hours of darkness, usually on weekends.
On an average day, 37 alcohol-related crashes occurred.
On an average day, 29 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes.
On an average day, 1.5 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes.
15% of all holiday crashes involved alcohol use.

National Alcohol-Related Car Accident Statistics (2005)

In 2005, 16,885 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents, representing 39% of all traffic-related deaths.
Of the 16,885 people who died in alcohol-related crashes in 2005, 14,539 or 86% were killed in crashes where at least one driver or nonoccupant had a BAC of .08 or higher.
An estimated 254,000 people were injured in crashes where police reported alcohol was present.
Alcohol was present in 24% of drivers involved in fatal crashes.
Over half of the 414 child passengers ages 14 and younger that died in an alcohol-related crash were riding with a drunk driver.
Of the 1,946 traffic fatalities among children ages 0 to 14 years old, 21% involved alcohol.
48 children ages 14 and under were killed as pedestrians or pedacyclists by an impaired driver.
Male drivers are almost twice as likely as female drivers to be involved in a fatal car crash with a BAC of .08 or higher.
In 2005, 16% of drivers aged 16 to 20 who were killed in an accident had been drinking alcohol.
The highest percentage of drivers in fatal crashes who had BAC levels of .08 or higher was for drivers ages 21 to 24 followed by the 25 to 34 age group.
Alcohol involvement in fatal crashes was 3 times higher at night as during the day. For all crashes, the alcohol involvement rate is 5 times higher at night.

Pennsylvania Drunk Driving Crash Statistics (2005)

In 2005, there were 580 fatalities from alcohol-related crashes.
89% of those killed in alcohol-related crashes were in the same vehicle as the drunk driver. 72% of those killed were the drunk drivers themselves.
79% of drunk drivers involved in crashes are male.
On an average day in 2005, there were 36 alcohol-related crashes with1.6 fatalities and 29 injuredpeople.
The majority of drunk driving crashes occur at night - 77%.
Alcohol-related car crash deaths were highest between the hours of midnightand 4am.
Alcohol-related crash fatalities were highest on Saturday.

General United States Drunk Driving Statistics

Alcohol-related car crashes kill someone every 45 minutes and injure someone every two minutes.
In the United States, drunk driving is the leading criminal cause of death.
More than 17,000 people are the victims of drunk driving accidents every year.
Approximately 40% of all motor-vehicle fatalities are alcohol-related.
Frequent drunk drivers are responsible for almost 60% of alcohol-related fatalities.
38% of all Christmas-time car accident deaths and 54 % of all New Year's car accident deaths are alcohol-related.
Approximately 17% of drunk drivers injured in car accidents are charged and convicted, 11% are charged and not convicted, and 72% are never charged.
Drunk driving accidents cost the public around $114.3 billion a year.
About one-third of people arrested for drunk driving are repeat offenders.
Drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher who are involved in fatal crashes are eight times more likely to have a prior DUI conviction than drivers who consumed no alcohol.

Sources May Include:
"Impaired Driving." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2006.
"2006 Pennsylvania Crash Facts & Statistics." PENNDOT. 2008.
"2007 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment - Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities." August 2008. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2009. Madd.org.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2010.