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Tennessee Drunk Driving Statistics

In Tennessee, 686 people died in alcohol related traffic accidents in 1986, which was the highest number in the last twenty years. Deaths have since plunged to 447 in 2003. The percentage of traffic fatalities that were alcohol related was highest in 1982, with 63%, and reached the lowest levels in 2003 and 2005, and 2006, with 37%. For the most recent year reported, out of all traffic fatalities, 32% involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, down from 57% in 1982.

Year
Fatalities
Tot
Alc-Rel
%
0.08+
%
1982
1,055
668
63
597
57
1983
1,037
643
62
579
56
1984
1,095
640
58
555
51
1985
1,101
603
55
515
47
1986
1,230
686
56
601
49
1987
1,247
621
50
536
43
1988
1,266
673
53
571
45
1989
1,088
559
51
494
45
1990
1,177
601
51
504
43
1991
1,113
601
54
507
46
1992
1,153
562
49
503
44
1993
1,170
538
46
461
39
1994
1,214
503
41
436
36
1995
1,259
533
42
473
38
1996
1,239
523
42
460
37
1997
1,225
510
42
445
36
1998
1,216
513
42
437
36
1999
1,302
515
40
452
35
2000
1,307
542
41
458
35
2001
1,251
533
43
463
37
2002
1,177
485
41
412
35
2003
1,193
447
37
404
34
2004
1,288
519
40
454
35
2005
1,270
464
37
397
31
2006
1,286
478
37
408
32

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

It is important to note that the Tennessee 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."

All 50 states in the US 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 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.

Criminal status of DUI laws in Tennessee

In Tennessee, 1st offense is a class B misdemeanor, 2nd and 3rd offenses are class A misdemeanors, 4th and subsequent offenses within 10 years is a class E felony. Citation:§§ 40-35-111 and 55-10-403 (2)

Sources for Tennessee 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 testers work like vending machines.