Impaired Driving Facts
- In 2009, 10,839 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. These alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities accounted for 32% of the total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States.
- Traffic fatalities in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes decreased by 7.4% from 11,711 in 2008 to 10,839 in 2009. The alcohol-impaired-driving fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) decreased to 0.36 in 2009 from 0.39 in 2008.
- An average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality occurred every 48 minutes in 2009.
- In 2009, all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico had by law created a threshold making it illegal per se to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher.
- Of the 10,839 people who died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in 2009, 7,281 (67%) were drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher. The remaining fatalities consisted of 2,891 (27%) motor vehicle occupants and 667 (6%) non-occupants.
- The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 was four times higher at night than during the day (37% versus 9%).
- In 2009, 16% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes during the week were alcohol-impaired, compared to 31% on weekends.
- Drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher involved in fatal crashes were eight times more likely to have a prior conviction for driving while impaired (DWI) than were drivers with no alcohol (8% and 1%, respectively).
Source: NHTSA
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