Drunk Driving

In the past 10 years 250,000 people have died in alcohol-related accidents. Each victim leaves behind loved ones whose lives are forever changed.

Facts About Drinking and Driving

Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and nonfatally injure someone every two minutes (NHTSA 2004a).

During 2003, 17,013 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, representing 40% of all traffic-related deaths (NHTSA 2004a).

In 2002, about 1.5 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics (NHTSA 2004a). That’s slightly more than one percent of the 120 million self-reported episodes of alcohol–impaired driving among U.S. adults each year (Dellinger 1999).

Drugs other than alcohol (e.g., marijuana and cocaine) are involved in about 18% of motor vehicle driver deaths. These other drugs are generally used in combination with alcohol (NHTSA 2003).

More than two-thirds of child passengers ages 14 and younger who died in alcohol-related crashes during 1997–2002 were riding with the drinking driver; only 32% of them were properly restrained at the time of the crash (Shults 2004).

Each year, alcohol-related crashes in the United States cost about $51 billion (Blincoe 2002).

Male drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes are almost twice as likely as female drivers to be intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or greater (NHTSA 2004b). A BAC of 0.08% is equal to or greater than the legal limit in most states.

At all levels of blood alcohol concentration, the risk of being involved in a crash is greater for young people than for older people (Zador 2000).

In 2003, 25% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had been drinking alcohol (NHTSA 2004c).

Young men ages 18 to 20 (under the legal drinking age) reported driving while impaired almost as frequently as men ages 21 to 34 (Liu 1997).

Of the 2,136 traffic fatalities among children ages 0 to 14 years in 2003, 21% involved alcohol (NHTSA 2004d).

Nearly three quarters of those convicted of driving while impaired are either frequent heavy drinkers (alcohol abusers) or alcoholics (alcohol dependent) (Miller 1986).

Among drivers involved in fatal crashes, those with BAC levels of 0.08% or higher were nine times more likely to have a prior conviction for driving while impaired (DWI) than were drivers who had not consumed alcohol (NHTSA 2004a).

Impairment constitutes one drink, whether it is "hard" liquor, wine or beer. Once alcohol has been consumed, it is absorbed by an individual's blood system, and can be measured as Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). Even one drink can decrease your ability to react quickly, which can prove fatal when you get behind the wheel of an automobile. Each state varies in its accepted BAC level, as does the rate of absorption for each individual. An individual's height, weight, prior experience with alcohol, and the amount of food consumed before drinking are all factors in determining the BAC level. Planning a designated driver, or alternative form of transportation is always a good idea, even when the amount of alcohol consumed is at a minimum.

If you are found to be impaired while driving, you will experience criminal repercussions. These could include fines, the loss of your driving privileges, incarceration, higher insurance rates, and a criminal record. Putting these issues aside, what will happen if you are not caught? The answer to this question is quite frightening and carries more dire consequences. Everyone is affected by the irresponsible behavior of an impaired driver, especially if it includes the emotional destruction a family experiences after the loss of a loved one. The best method- don't drink and drive!


Click On What Problems Are Caused by Drunk Drivers

l Home l About Company l Members Only l Online Course l Videos for SALE!l
l Car Crash Videos l Just 4 Parents l Just 4 Teens l Just 4 Seniors l On the Roadl l Drinking and Driving l Save Your Children l DMV Web Sites By State l
l Links 4 You l Contact Us l Privacy Policy l Site Map l