Drunk driving death statistics are more than just facts and figures.
Those numbers represent real people who lost their lives because of drunk driving.
It’s important to learn about drunk driving death statistics and be aware of the problem so we can know where to start is becoming the solution to stop drunk driving and save lives.
NATIONAL STATISTICS
It is important to be aware of the national statistics for drunk driving in the United States. Educating ourselves and especially the younger generations on these statistics are important to bring awareness to the tragedy drunk driving causes in hopes to make some positive change.
According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administrations study, “Traffic Safety Facts 2014: Alcohol-Impaired Driving,” every fifty-three minutes, a person dies as a result of drunk driving.
Another NHTSA study called “The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010,” every two minutes, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash.
On average, two in three people will be involved in a drunk driving crash in their lifetime according to the same 2010 NHTSA statistics cited above.
UNDER 21 STATISTICS
It’s no secret that underage drinking is a huge problem in the United States. Drunk driving statistics concerning drivers under the age of 21 and significantly different than the national average and deserve special attention.
About 25% of car crashes with teens involve an underage drinking driver according to NHTSA statistics from “Traffic Safety Facts 2013: Overview.”
Approximately 2,000 underage drinkers alone die each year behind the wheel according to information from a DUI Driving Laws website. That number is only about drunk drivers who can’t legally consume alcohol in the first place.
STOP DRUNK DRIVING
Be a part of the solution.
There are thing being done by independent organizations, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and new laws and legal initiatives to produce positive change in stopping drunk driving.
In the United States, the number of drunk driving deaths has been cut in half since MADD was founded in 1980. That’s right, that number has actually decreased by 50% according to a 2014 National Highway and Safety Administration study.
30 States and Washington D.C. have passed Ignition Interlock Laws according to the resources provided online by MADD.
Under the law, an individual convicted of a second or subsequent offense of driving under the influence is required to have an ignition interlock system installed on EACH motor vehicle they own, operate, or lease for one year. –Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles
Other positive efforts to stop drunk driving is a campaign started in 2006 by MADD in response to the 13,000+ individuals who died every year as a result of drunk driving. Their efforts, the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, has received a lot of public support and is doing great work to change these drunk driving statistics for the better.
Click here to learn more about drunk driving death statistics in each state.
Have any more questions about drunk driving death statistics? Need legal advice concerning a DWI in North Carolina? Don’t hesitate to Contact Minick Law. Our legal team specializes in DWI / DUI, traffic law, and criminal law and wants to help be a part of the solution to stop drunk driving.
