Alcohol
has a big effect on the way people drive. Many studies
show that the risk of being involved in a crash increases
as a driver's blood alcohol level increases. As the
blood alcohol level rises, the risk rapidly increases.
In fact, if you drink and drive (with a blood alcohol
level over 80mg per 100ml) you are three times more
likely to be involved in a crash than a sober driver.
Contrary to popular opinion, people with a high blood
alcohol level are more likely to be injured or killed
in a crash than those who are sober.
Crashes
where drink driving was a contributing factor ...
Year |
Number of fatal
crashes |
% of total
fatal crashes |
Number of injury
crashes |
% of total
injury crashes |
1980 |
192 |
35.9 |
1954 |
19.1 |
1981 |
199 |
34.0 |
2005 |
19.9 |
1982 |
232 |
38.5 |
2049 |
19.2 |
1983 |
205 |
36.1 |
2140 |
19.5 |
1984 |
222 |
36.3 |
2248 |
18.8 |
1985 |
238 |
36.1 |
2493 |
19.3 |
1986 |
266 |
40.5 |
2575 |
20.1 |
1987 |
271 |
39.4 |
2595 |
20.5 |
1988 |
266 |
42.6 |
2500 |
20.9 |
1989 |
264 |
40.6 |
2364 |
20.8 |
1990 |
268 |
42.1 |
2716 |
22.3 |
1991 |
225 |
40.6 |
2424 |
20.9 |
1992 |
221 |
40.8 |
2282 |
20.6 |
1993 |
185 |
35.8 |
1906 |
18.2 |
1994 |
190 |
38.3 |
2044 |
18.0 |
1995 |
162 |
32.3 |
2118 |
18.1 |
1996 |
129 |
28.2 |
1652 |
16.3 |
1997 |
127 |
27.1 |
1389 |
15.5 |
1998 |
118 |
27.1 |
1347 |
16.2 |
1999 |
100 |
23.0 |
1146 |
14.3 |
2000 |
101 |
26.4 |
1063 |
14.3 |
2001 |
104 |
26.3 |
1110 |
13.1 |
2002 |
95 |
26.2 |
1302 |
13.2 |
Did you know...
* In 2001, about 1,461 fatalities occurred in crashes
involving alcohol-impaired or intoxicated drivers who
had at least one previous DWI conviction -- about 8.4
percent of all alcohol-related traffic fatalities. ( Runge,
2003)
* Among the 5.3 million convicted offenders under the
jurisdiction of corrections agencies in 1996, nearly
2 million, or about 36 percent, were estimated to have
been drinking at the time of the offense. ( Bureau
of Justice Statistics, 1998)
* Approximately 1.4 million drivers were arrested in
2001 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
This is an arrest rate of 1 for every 137 licensed drivers
in the United States. ( NHTSA,
2003)
* Forty percent of people convicted of violent victimizations
(sexual assault, robbery, homicide, aggravated assault,
and simple assault) and 25 percent of victims had been
drinking at the time of the event. ( Bureau
of Justice Statistics, 1998)
* One arrest is made for driving under the influence
for every 772 episodes of driving within two hours of
drinking and for every 88 episodes of driving over the
legal limit in the U.S. (Zador et al 1995)
* According to government drinking and driving statistics
Dui's have been decreasing by a staedy race for 20 years.
 There is evidence that heavier drinkers prefer to drink
at bars and other person's homes, and at multiple locations
requiring longer driver distances. Young drivers have
been found to prefer drinking at private parties, while
older, more educated drivers prefer bars and taverns.
This says alot about what the "problem drinkers"
are thinking about when they go out for a fun night
around the town. This also may be the reason drinking
and driving statistics are so high.
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The Department of the Environment, Transport and the
Regions commissioned a three year study of the role
of drugs in road accident fatalities and published
figures from the first 15 months in February 1998. In 16 percent of fatalities, the individual concerned
had used illicit drugs and in 6 percent medicinal
drugs. However, cannabis accounted for 46 per cent
of samples, cannabis can be indentified in the body
for up to 30 days after it has been used. This means
it is impossible to link the road accident with any
current use of the drug. Furthermore, even if it was
proved that the drug had been used immediately prior
to the accident, a casual effect still cannot be established. 
Nationally, 12.8% of all drivers involved in fatal
accidents during 2001 are known to have been intoxicated
according to the BAC laws (.10 or .08) of their state.
This number is based on a systematic examination of
the official records of each and every accident involving
a fatality during that year in the US. It is based
on factual evidence rather than on estimates or even
guesses. The higher number (about 40%) commonly reported
in the press refers to accidents in which there was
believed to have been some alcohol consumed by anyone
associated with the accident. For example, if a person
who was believed to have consumed any alcohol is stopped
at a red light and is rear-ended by an inattentive
completely sober driver, that accident is considered
to be alcohol-related. This may be why drinking and
driving statistics are so excessively high.
States
and Territories WITH Dram
Shop Laws(43)
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana,
New Hampshire, New, Jersey, New Mexico, New York,
North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Washington D.C.,
West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
States
and Territories WITHOUT Dram
Shop Laws(8)
Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska,
Nevada, South Dakota, Virginia
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