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Wisconsin Drunk Driving Statistics

In Wisconsin, alcohol related fatalities were highest in 1982, with 479 reported, and were lowest in 1998, with 304 reported. 1983 showed the highest percentage of traffic fatalities as alcohol related, with 63%, and the lowest percentage in 1999, with 42%. In 2006, out of all traffic fatalities, 42% involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, down from 57% in 1982 and 1983.

Year
Fatalities
Tot
Alc-Rel
%
0.08+
%
1982
770
479
62
441
57
1983
725
453
63
412
57
1984
822
482
59
432
53
1985
744
404
54
366
49
1986
747
428
57
389
52
1987
797
450
56
399
50
1988
807
462
57
404
50
1989
817
397
49
333
41
1990
769
370
48
327
43
1991
797
362
45
314
39
1992
652
302
46
264
40
1993
714
330
46
291
41
1994
712
311
44
270
38
1995
745
323
43
287
39
1996
761
325
43
282
37
1997
725
335
46
289
40
1998
714
304
43
264
37
1999
745
310
42
278
37
2000
799
350
44
316
40
2001
763
366
48
327
43
2002
803
360
45
322
40
2003
848
387
46
340
40
2004
792
358
45
318
40
2005
815
369
45
328
40
2006
722
352
49
305
42

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

It is important to note that the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, non-injury DUI offenses are civil convictions, injury-related DUI offenses are class D or class F felonies. Citation:§§346.63(1) & (2), 346.65(2), 346.65(3m), 939.50 & 940.25 (2)

Sources for Wisconsin 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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