Maryland Drunk Driving Statistics

Year
Fatalities
Tot
Alc-Rel
%
0.08+
%
1982
640
360
56
319
50
1983
656
382
58
330
50
1984
643
344
54
285
44
1985
729
378
52
318
44
1986
784
407
52
341
43
1987
814
380
47
317
39
1988
781
352
45
290
37
1989
726
316
43
256
35
1990
707
325
46
277
39
1991
694
261
38
221
32
1992
659
243
37
208
32
1993
666
244
37
203
30
1994
651
232
36
192
30
1995
671
249
37
202
30
1996
608
213
35
179
30
1997
611
224
37
189
31
1998
606
223
37
176
29
1999
590
215
36
172
29
2000
588
240
41
194
33
2001
659
282
43
229
35
2002
661
276
42
223
34
2003
649
281
43
208
32
2004
643
286
45
231
36
2005
614
235
38
191
31
2006
651
235
36
193
30
2007
614
225
37
179
29
2008
591
186
31
152
26
2009
547
194
35
162
30
2010
493
188
38
154
31
2011
485
192
40
162
33
2012
505
189
37
160
32
2013
465
175
38
141
30
2014
442
154
35
130
29
2015
652
236
36
189
29
2016
505
156
31
130
26
2017
591
182
31
145
25
2018
501
154
31
122
24
2019
521
189
36
167
32
2020
567
211
37
183
32

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

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.

chart of drunk driving statistics in Maryland from 1982 to 2020

It is important to note that the Maryland 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 Maryland

In Maryland, all DUI offenses are misdemeanors. Citation:Trans. ??21-902, 27-101 et seq., & 27-102 (2)

Sources for Maryland 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