Impaired Driving

We’ve all heard about the danger of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Here’s some facts about impaired driving that back up the message, “Don’t Drink and Drive.”

Alcohol-related crashes are the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 4 and 36.

In 2002, there were 17,419 alcohol-related traffic fatalities (41% of all traffic deaths) in the U.S. (approximately one death every half hour). More than 5,000 of those were under the age of 25. (58,000 Americans were killed in Viet Nam between 1961- 1975).

More American have been killed by impaired drivers (over 2,800,000) than have been killed in all our wars including the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Viet Nam War, and the Gulf War. In fact, in Desert Storm which lasted 100 hours, America lost 127 lives. During that same year we averaged more than 225 DUI deaths every 100 hours.

Thirty percent (30%) of adult Americans will be involved in a DUI traffic crash during their lifetime. That’s three out of ten, who will be either the impaired driver, a passenger in the impaired driver's vehicle or a person in another vehicle, a pedestrian, or bicyclist

In 2002, 1.2 million people were injured in more than two million alcohol-related crashes.

Alcohol-related traffic crashes cost our nation’s economy over $52 billion dollars annually. Over five billion dollars were spent on health care costs alone. In comparison, all other crime costs the nation $23 billion each year. It is estimated that alcohol-related crashes account for 21% of our state's auto insurance payments.

Over 500,000 Americans suffer serious injuries each year in alcohol-related traffic collisions. Serious injuries are considered injuries in which the individual suffered permanent injury, disfigurement or was hospitalized for more than 24 hours.

Approximately one in every 132 adult drivers in America is arrested for DUI each year. That’s about 1.6 million arrests annually. Of those arrested, approximately 25% are repeat offenders, having been arrested for DUI with the past 5 years.

For more information on impaired driving check the following resources:

MADD

SADD

NHTSA imparied driving

StopDruggedDriving