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Indiana Drunk Driving Statistics

In Indiana, like most states, there has been a decline in drunk driving deaths and in the percentage of total fatalities that are alcohol related in the last twenty years. The most drunk driving deaths occurred in 1986, with 539, while the percentage of alcohol related fatalities peaked in 1982 and 1986 with 52% of the total traffic deaths. In 2006, out of all traffic fatalities, 28% 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
961
504
52
437
46
1983
1,016
505
50
453
45
1984
925
474
51
414
45
1985
974
445
46
379
39
1986
1,038
539
52
453
44
1987
1,055
454
43
379
36
1988
1,099
530
48
461
42
1989
971
447
46
388
40
1990
1,049
485
46
432
41
1991
1,022
493
48
440
43
1992
901
375
42
309
34
1993
901
351
39
288
32
1994
971
353
36
304
31
1995
960
348
36
299
31
1996
984
350
36
297
30
1997
935
331
35
296
32
1998
982
405
41
350
36
1999
1,020
384
38
322
32
2000
886
303
34
246
28
2001
909
320
35
262
29
2002
792
262
33
216
27
2003
834
262
31
223
27
2004
947
299
32
254
27
2005
938
320
34
273
29
2006
896
290
32
247
28

The table above shows the total number of traffic fatalities (Tot) for the Indiana, 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 statistics for Indiana

It is important to note that the Indiana 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 Indiana

In Indiana, Illegal per se offense with a BAC of .10 to .15 is a class C misdemeanor; with a BAC of .15 and higher, it is a class A misdemeanor; for subsequent convictions within 5 years, it is a class D felony. Citation:IC9-30-5-1 et seq., IC35-50-2 6 & 7, & IC35-50-3-2, et seq. (2)

Sources for Indiana 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...

These alcohol breath testing machines are coin-operated breathalyzers.