50 to 75 percent of convicted drunk drivers continue to drive on a suspended license.
(Peck, R.C., Wilson, R. J., and Sutton, L. 1995. “Driver license strategies for controlling the persistent DUI offender, Strategies for Dealing with the intent Drinking Driver.” Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Circular No. 437. Washington, D.C. National Research Council: 48-49 and Beck, KH, et al. “Effects of Ignition Interlock License Restrictions on Drivers with Multiple Alcohol Offenses: A Randomized Trial in Maryland.” American Journal of Public Health, 89 vol. 11 (1999): 1696-1700.)
Only time will sober a person up. Drinking strong coffee, exercising or taking a cold shower will not help.
(Michigan State University. “Basic Alcohol Information.” East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University, 2003.)
Every two minutes, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2014, DOT HS 812 013. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf.
On average, two in three people will be involved in a drunk driving crash in their lifetime.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The Economic and Societal Impact Of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2010.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, May 2014, DOT HS 812 013. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812013.pdf.
In 2013, 28.7 million people admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol - that’s more than the population of Texas.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014.
http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUHresultsPDFWHTML2013/Web/NSDUHresults2013.pdf
The rate of drunk driving is highest among 26 to 29 year olds (20.7 percent).
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014.
http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUHresultsPDFWHTML2013/Web/NSDUHresults2013.pdf
Every day in America, another 27 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2014: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.” Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812231.pdf
In the United States, the number of drunk driving deaths has been cut in half since MADD was founded in 1980.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2014: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.” Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812231.pdf
An average drunk driver has driven drunk over 80 times before first arrest.
Arrest data: Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States: 2014”
https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/table-29
Incidence data:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Alcohol-Impaired Driving Among Adults — United States, 2012." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 7, 2015 / 64(30);814-817. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a2.htm
Drunk driving costs each adult in the United States over $500 per year.
MADD 5th Anniversary Report to the Nation, 2011.
http://www.talklikemadd.org/books/statereport/#/4/
Drunk driving costs the United States $132 billion a year.
MADD 5th Anniversary Report to the Nation, 2011.
http://www.talklikemadd.org/books/statereport/#/4/
Adults drank too much and drove about 121 million times per year - over 300,000 incidents of drinking and driving a day.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Alcohol-Impaired Driving Among Adults — United States, 2012." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 7, 2015 / 64(30);814-817. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a2.htm
In 2015, 10,265 people died in drunk driving crashes - one every 51 minutes - and 290,000 were injured in drunk driving crashes.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2015: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.” Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812231.pdf
In 2013, a total of 1,149 children 14 and younger were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those 1,149 fatalities, 200 (17%) occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. Out of those 200 deaths, 121 (61%) were occupants of vehicles with drivers who had BACs of .08 or higher, and another 29 children (15%) were pedestrians or pedalcyclists struck by drivers with BACs of .08 or higher.
A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, which contain the same amount of alcohol.
(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention in the Medical Setting." DOT HS 809 467. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, July 2002.)
The average person metabolizes alcohol at the rate of about one drink per hour.
(Michigan State University. “Basic Alcohol Information.” East Lansing, MI: Michigan State University, 2003.)
In fatal crashes in 2014, the highest percentage of drunk drivers was for drivers ages 21 to 24 (30 percent), followed by ages 25 to 34 (29 percent) and 35 to 44 (24 percent).
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Traffic Safety Facts 2014: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.” Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2016.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812231.pdf
In 2014, three times as many males were arrested for drunk driving as females (401,904 v 130,480).
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States: 2014.
https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/table-33
Each day, people drive drunk more than 300,000 times, but only about 3200 are arrested.
Arrest data: Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime in the United States: 2014”
https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/table-29
Incidence data:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Alcohol-Impaired Driving Among Adults — United States, 2012." Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. August 7, 2015 / 64(30);814-817. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6430a2.htm
Over 1.1 million drivers were arrested in 2014 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Crime in the United States: 2014." https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/table-29
About one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of drunk driving are repeat offenders.
(Fell, Jim. “Repeat DWI Offenders in the United States.” Washington, DC: National Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Tech No. 85, February 1995.)
High school students who use alcohol or other substances are five times more likely to drop out of school. More Facts »
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