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Delaware Drunk Driving Statistics

In Delaware, a whopping 71% of all fatalities were alcohol related in 1985, while the actual number of alcohol related fatalities peaked in 1988 and 1990 with 86. While the overall trend is down, the years with the lowest number of drunk driving deaths in Delaware were 1996 and 1999, with 36. In 2006, out of all traffic fatalities, 29% involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher.

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
122
82
67
74
60
1983
110
73
67
62
56
1984
130
65
50
52
40
1985
104
74
71
64
61
1986
136
80
58
67
50
1987
146
81
55
68
47
1988
160
86
54
70
44
1989
116
66
57
61
52
1990
138
86
62
73
53
1991
102
51
50
47
46
1992
140
60
43
53
38
1993
110
56
51
48
44
1994
112
63
56
53
47
1995
121
50
41
41
34
1996
116
47
40
36
31
1997
143
64
45
49
34
1998
115
47
40
42
36
1999
100
42
42
36
36
2000
123
61
50
53
43
2001
136
66
48
57
42
2002
124
50
40
42
34
2003
142
60
42
51
36
2004
134
51
38
48
36
2005
134
66
49
59
44
2006
148
50
34
43
29

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

Drunk driving or alcohol-related fatalities for Delaware

It is important to note that the Delaware 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 Delaware

In Delaware, 1st and 2nd offenses are unclassified misdemeanors, 3rd is a class G felony, 4th or subsequent is a class E felony-Citation: 11 §4202(b), 21 §§4177(d) & 4177B(e)(2) (2)

Sources for Delaware 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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