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Iowa Drunk Driving Statistics

In Iowa, alcohol related traffic fatalities declined from a high of 305 in 1983, to a low of 110 in 2004. The percentage of traffic fatalities that were alcohol related dropped from a high of 59% in 1983, to a low of 26% in 2005. 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
480
250
52
219
46
1983
514
305
59
263
51
1984
420
239
57
204
49
1985
474
260
55
219
46
1986
441
228
52
197
45
1987
491
252
51
215
44
1988
557
279
50
239
43
1989
514
232
45
195
38
1990
465
233
50
200
43
1991
488
205
42
172
35
1992
437
176
40
137
31
1993
459
208
45
175
38
1994
478
211
44
170
36
1995
527
219
42
187
35
1996
465
199
43
177
38
1997
468
178
38
144
31
1998
449
163
36
139
31
1999
490
169
34
138
28
2000
445
139
31
118
26
2001
446
152
34
123
28
2002
405
137
34
110
27
2003
441
145
33
119
27
2004
390
110
28
91
23
2005
450
118
26
102
23
2006
439
142
32
122
28

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

Fatality statistics for Iowa

It is important to note that the Iowa 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 bicyclist) involved in the crash has a positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) value."

The fatality rates shown above refer to the number of people killed in all traffic accidents and, separately, in alcohol related traffic accidents, per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

Criminal status of DUI laws in Iowa

In Iowa, 1 st offense is serious misdemeanor, 2nd offense is aggravated misdemeanor, 3rd or subsequent offense is class D felony. Citation:§§321J.2(2) & (3), 707.6A(3), 902.9, 903.1 & 907.3(3)(c) (2)

Sources for Iowa 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.