2008 Drunk Driving Statistics

Click here for drunk driving statistics for 2007; 2006; 2005; 2004; 2003; 2002; 2001; 2000.

All 50 states in the US and Puerto Rico now apply two statutory offenses to driving under the influence of alcohol. The first (and original) offense is known either as driving under the influence (DUI), driving while intoxicated/impaired (DWI), or operating [a motor vehicle] while intoxicated/impaired (OWI). This is based upon a police officer's observations (driving behavior, slurred speech, the results of a roadside sobriety test, etc.)

The second offense is called "illegal per se", which is driving with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08 g/dL or higher. Since 2002 it has been illegal in all 50 states to drive with a BAC that is 0.08 or higher. Drivers are considered to be alcohol-impaired when their BAC is .08 or higher.

Alcohol-related deaths in the US since 1982:

 
Total fatalities
Alcohol-related fatalities
Year
Number
Number
Percent
1982
43,945
26,173
60
1983
42,589
24,635
58
1984
44,257
24,762
56
1985
43,825
23,167
53
1986
46,087
25,017
54
1987
46,390
24,094
52
1988
47,087
23,833
51
1989
45,582
22,424
49
1990
44,599
22,587
51
1991
41,508
20,159
49
1992
39,250
18,290
47
1993
40,150
17,908
45
1994
40,716
17,308
43
1995
41,817
17,732
42
1996
42,065
17,749
42
1997
42,013
16,711
40
1998
41,501
16,673
40
1999
41,717
16,572
40
41,945
17,380
41
42,196
17,400
41
43,005
17,524
41
42,643
17,013
40
42,518
16,919
39
43,443
16,885
39
42,532
15,829
37
41,059
15,387
37
2008
37,261
13,846
37

Drinking and driving fatalities by state in 2008 (ranked by highest number of alcohol-related* deaths):

State
Total Fatalities

Alcohol-Related Fatalities

Number
Percent
Texas 3,382 1,463 43
California 3,434 1,198 35
Florida 2,978 1,041 35
Pennsylvania 1,468 578 39
North Carolina 1,433 500 35
Georgia 1,493 489 33
South Carolina 920 463 50
Illinois 1,043 434 42
Ohio 1,190 415 35
New York 1,231 409 33
Louisiana 912 404 44
Tennessee 1,035 386 37
Alabama 966 367 38
Virginia 824 365 44
Missouri 960 364 38
Michigan 980 331 34
Arizona 937 329 35
Mississippi 783 297 38
Oklahoma 749 274 37
Indiana 814 250 31
Wisconsin 605 250 41
Kentucky 826 226 27
Washington 521 225 43
Arkansas 600 205 34
Colorado 548 202 37
New Jersey 590 197 33
Maryland 591 186 31
Minnesota 456 161 35
Oregon 416 159 38
Kansas 385 157 41
Massachusetts 363 151 42
West Virginia 380 142 37
Nevada 324 121 37
New Mexico 366 118 32
Iowa 412 113 27
Connecticut 264 104 40
Montana 229 103 45
Idaho 232 93 40
Nebraska 208 75 36
Wyoming 159 75 47
Utah 275 55 20
New Hampshire 139 53 38
North Dakota 104 52 50
Hawaii 107 50 46
Delaware 121 49 40
Maine 155 47 30
South Dakota 119 41 34
Rhode Island 65 29 45
Alaska 62 24 38
Vermont 73 15 21
Dist of Columbia 34 13 39
National 37,261 13,846 37
Puerto Rico 399 162 41

 

The table below shows alcohol-impaired** motor vehicle fatalities in the US for 2008.

State Total Fatalities* BAC=.08+
Number Number Percent
Texas 3,382 1,269 38
California 3,434 1,029 30
Florida 2,978 875 29
Pennsylvania 1,468 496 34
North Carolina 1,433 423 30
Georgia 1,493 416 28
South Carolina 920 403 44
Illinois 1,043 362 35
Ohio 1,190 356 30
New York 1,231 341 28
Louisiana 912 338 37
Tennessee 1,035 327 32
Alabama 966 315 33
Virginia 824 294 36
Missouri 960 310 32
Michigan 980 282 29
Arizona 937 266 28
Mississippi 783 266 34
Oklahoma 749 244 33
Indiana 814 208 26
Wisconsin 605 208 34
Kentucky 826 200 24
Washington 521 182 35
Arkansas 600 171 28
Colorado 548 173 32
New Jersey 590 154 26
Maryland 591 152 26
Minnesota 456 135 30
Oregon 416 136 33
Kansas 385 145 38
Massachusetts 363 124 34
West Virginia 380 128 34
Nevada 324 107 33
New Mexico 366 105 29
Iowa 412 89 22
Connecticut 264 86 32
Montana 229 91 40
Idaho 232 78 34
Nebraska 208 55 27
Wyoming 159 67 42
Utah 275 46 17
New Hampshire 139 45 32
North Dakota 104 47 46
Hawaii 107 42 39
Delaware 121 45 37
Maine 155 43 28
South Dakota 119 34 29
Rhode Island 65 25 38
Alaska 62 21 33
Vermont 73 12 16
Dist of Columbia 34 9 26
National 37,261 11,773 32
Puerto Rico 399 132 33

 

*According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), "A motor vehicle crash is considered to be alcohol-related if at least one driver or non-occupant (such as a pedestrian or pedalcyclist) involved in the crash is determined to have had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01 gram per deciliter (g/dL) or higher. Thus, any fatality that occurs in an alcohol-related crash is considered an alcohol-related fatality. The term 'alcohol-related' does not indicate that a crash or fatality was caused by the presence of alcohol."

**A driver involved in a motor vehicle crash is considered alcohol-impaired if he or she exhibits a BAC of .08 or greater.

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