Drunk driving crashes are, unfortunately, common across the nation, with someone killed or injured in one every 79 seconds.[1] Many people are aware of this issue but don’t realize how prevalent it actually is, and as you go about your everyday life, you probably don’t often think about the devastating consequences this type of accident can have on those involved.
Taking a look at some key drunk driving statistics can help you understand the enormity of this issue. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 13,000 people died in fatal car accidents related to alcohol use in 2022 alone.[2] That’s around 37 people every day.[2]
In all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or greater.[2] Each state has its own regulations regarding when BAC tests should happen in fatal car crashes, and that can make gathering these types of statistics more difficult.
What Is the Definition of Drunk Driving?
Understanding how something gets reported in drunk driving accident statistics requires understanding what drunk driving is. Legally, drunk driving refers to the act of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol.[2] If someone’s blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 or higher at the time they were operating a vehicle, this typically means they were driving drunk.[2]
However, in some cases, police officer observations and physical evidence at the scene of an accident might also demonstrate drunk driving. For example, if there is traffic camera footage of a vehicle weaving recklessly over the road before an accident, officers find open containers of alcohol in the car when they arrive, witnesses report smelling alcohol at the scene, or the driver is behaving in a drunken manner, these facts can indicate drunk driving occurred.[3]
Drunk driving is not the only type of impaired driving that might occur. Driving under the influence of drugs, including prescription drugs, is also impaired driving.[4]
Drunk driving is an issue that is 100% preventable if people make responsible choices and don’t get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.
The Risk Factors of Drunk Driving
What many people don’t realize is that anyone can engage in drunk driving if they aren’t careful. If you have a couple of drinks with friends at dinner and drive yourself home, you may not think about your BAC and how that affects your response times or driving skills. However, there are some specific risk factors for drunk driving, including:
- Relationship with alcohol. Someone who is physically dependent or abusing alcohol for emotional or other purposes is often more likely to drive drunk.[5]
- Use of alcohol when young. Frequent abuse of alcohol as an adolescent can increase the likelihood that someone misuses alcohol, including driving drunk, as an adult.[5]
- Age. According to the National Safety Council, drivers aged 25 to 34 were involved in the most fatal accidents in 2022, and 41% were alcohol impaired at the time. Around 43% of drivers aged 21 to 24 who were involved in fatal accidents the same year were alcohol impaired.[6]
- Repeat drunk driving. It’s estimated that 30% of previous DUI offenders will drive drunk again.[7]
How Prevalent Are Drunk Driving Fatal Crashes?
It’s not surprising that drunk driving is the No. 1 cause of fatal crashes on our highways — according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), 31% of all fatal traffic crashes in the United States involve drunk driving.[8]
Some other drunk driving statistics from MADD that demonstrate how prevalent this issue is include:
- 25% of car accidents involving teenagers include the presence of an underage drunk driver.[8]
- Drunk driving impacts around two-thirds of people in the nation at some point in their lifetimes, either because they were involved in an accident with a drunk driver themselves or they had a loved one or friend who was.[9]
- This issue is trending upward — drunk driving death figures increased 31% from 2019 to 2022 and 14% from just 2020 to 2021.[10]
Although drunk driving fatalities are prevalent, they are preventable. Drunk driving laws, ignition interlocks, sobriety checkpoints, mass media campaigns, license revocation, license suspension, alcohol screening, multi-component interventions, and school-based instructional programs are all efforts to combat drunk driving issues. While many of these crashes involve driver fatalities, if the drunk driver survives, they typically face legal criminal and civil law consequences.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident with a drunk driver, you have options for seeking compensation for your losses. Car accident settlement amounts and awards in these types of personal injury cases can range from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Uses for settlement funding include covering medical expenses and other damages now and in the future. An attorney can help you understand what type of compensation you may be entitled to.
If you have already filed a lawsuit or are working to negotiate a car accident settlement but worry about your ability to keep up with expenses while the case is pending, contact USClaims.
Options Available for Victims of Drunk Driving Accidents
Your attorney can help you understand your options regarding a personal injury claim, and USClaims can provide information about options for accessing funding as early as possible. For example, you might want to consider car accident pre-settlement funding as a means to access funds you need to pay bills today while you wait on the legal process for your personal injury claim payout.
USClaims offers pre-settlement funding options for personal injury claims related to a variety of accidents, including rear-end collisions, drunk driving accidents, and broadside collisions. There is funding available for those who choose to pursue legal action but are struggling financially in the meantime.
Apply today or call us at 1-877-USCLAIMS to learn more about how USClaims can help you with litigation funding.
The availability of pre-settlement funding varies by state. Contact USClaims for more information.
Sources
- MADD. “Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) Launches the MADD Network to Address Surge in Impaired Driving Fatalities – MADD.” MADD, 2 Apr. 2024, madd.org/press-release/mothers-against-drunk-driving-madd-launches-the-madd-network-to-address-surge-in-impaired-driving-fatalities.
- “Drunk Driving | NHTSA.” NHTSA, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.
- “What Evidence Is Necessary to Prove a Driver Was Drunk at the Time of the Accident? | Tatum and Atkinson.” Tatum & Atkinson – Personal Injury & Accident Attorneys, tatumatkinson.com/faq/drunk-driving-accident/what-evidence-is-necessary-to-prove-a-driver-was-drunk-at-the-time-of-the-accident.
- Jean yoder. “NHTSA.” NHTSA, 30 Nov. 2016, https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving
- “Understanding Alcohol Use Disorders and Their Treatment.” https://www.apa.org, 1 Mar. 2012, www.apa.org/topics/substance-use-abuse-addiction/alcohol-disorders.
- “Alcohol-impaired Driving (DUI) – Injury Facts.” Injury Facts, 10 Apr. 2024, injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/motor-vehicle-safety-issues/alcohol-impaired-driving.
- “Repeat Drunk Drivers and the Neurobiology of Risk.” Association for Psychological Science – APS, www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/repeat-drunk-drivers-and-the-neurobiology-of-risk.html.
MADD. “Stat – MADD.” MADD, 15 Aug. 2022, madd.org/statistics. - “Drunk Driving Archives.” MADD, https://madd.org/statistic_type/drunk-driving/#:~:text=2%20out%20of%203%20people,drunk%20driving%20in%20their%20lifetime. Accessed 2 July 2024.
- MADD. “Stat – MADD.” MADD, 15 Aug. 2022, madd.org/statistics.
