In Washington DC, the highest percentage of alcohol related fatalities occurred in 1990 (68%), while the actual number of alcohol related fatalities peaked in 1983 with 39. In 2008, out of all traffic fatalities, 26% involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, a significant drop from the year before and the lowest on record.

All 50 states in the US now apply two statutory offenses to operating a motor vehicle while 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 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 BAC of 0.08% or higher. Since 2002 it has been illegal in all 50 states to drive with a BAC that is 0.08% or higher.

Year	Fatalities
	Tot	Alc-Rel	%	0.08+	%
1982	35	21	61	17	49
1983	66	39	59	35	53
1984	64	37	58	37	58
1985	60	32	53	30	50
1986	44	16	35	13	29
1987	53	26	49	19	35
1988	61	26	42	22	36
1989	72	33	46	28	39
1990	48	33	68	24	50
1991	63	24	37	20	32
1992	50	23	46	20	39
1993	57	24	41	20	35
1994	69	33	48	30	43
1995	58	31	53	28	49
1996	62	32	51	29	46
1997	60	34	57	31	52
1998	54	31	57	25	47
1999	41	23	57	20	49
2000	48	20	42	18	37
2001	68	34	50	27	40
2002	47	24	51	22	48
2003	67	34	50	29	44
2004	43	18	41	12	28
2005	48	26	55	21	44
2006	37	14	36	12	32
2007	44	18	41	15	35
2008	34	13	39	9	26

The table above shows the total number of traffic fatalities (Tot) for the District of Columbia, alcohol related fatalities (Alc-Rel) and fatalities in crashes where the highest BAC in the crash was 0.08 or above (0.08+).

It is important to note that the Washington DC drunk driving statistics, as shown above, include data from individuals who were in an alcohol-related crash, but not driving a motor vehicle at the time. The U.S. Department of Transportation defines alcohol-related deaths as "fatalities that occur in crashes where at least one driver or non-occupant (pedestrian or pedalcyclist) involved in the crash has a positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) value."

Criminal status of DUI laws in Washington DC

In Washington DC, DUI offenses are not classified. ⁽²⁾

Sources for Washington DC drunk driving information and statistics

US Dept. of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 12/02
⁽²⁾ National Conference of State Legislatures, 2004

National drunk driving statistics in the US...

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