Which States are the Worst for Drunk Driving? – Security
States had been ranked utilizing a rating based mostly on metrics together with drunk drivers concerned in deadly crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers, fatalities per 100,000 residents, and the share of site visitors deaths brought on by drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or greater.
Driving whereas intoxicated not solely places your individual life in danger; it additionally places others’ lives in danger. A latest examine by Simmrin Legislation Group ranked the ten states with the very best charges of fatalities brought on by drunk drivers.
Daily, almost 40 individuals die as a result of drunk driving in America, accounting for 32% of all site visitors fatalities.
Drunk driving is a matter business fleet managers might face, as their drivers interact in after-hours occasions or make a toast to a profitable week within the breakroom on Friday afternoon earlier than hopping of their work autos.
Which States Have the Most Drunk Driving-Associated Street Fatalities?
The examine’s authors gathered knowledge from the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration‘s (NHTSA) newest obtainable knowledge on drunk driving fatalities, drunk driver involvement in deadly crashes, and the share of site visitors deaths involving alcohol. The info is from 2022.
In 2022, greater than 13,500 lives had been misplaced to drunk driving.
The states got a rating based mostly on metrics together with drunk drivers concerned in deadly crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers (40% of the rating), fatalities per 100,000 residents (35%), and the share of site visitors deaths brought on by drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or greater (25%).
Knowledge sources for these numbers embody NHTSA, the U.S. Census Bureau, and Statista. Every state acquired a weighted rating out of 100 and was ranked accordingly.
States with the Highest Charges of Drunk Driving-Associated Deaths
Southern states are overrepresented within the prime 10. South Carolina tops the listing, with almost half of deadly crashes involving alcohol.
| Rank | State | Complete Rating |
| 1 | South Carolina | 100.00 |
| 2 | Texas | 83.65 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 80.77 |
| 4 | Wyoming | 74.39 |
| 5 | Montana | 71.72 |
| 6 | Arizona | 70.31 |
| 7 | Oregon | 70.25 |
| 8 | Louisiana | 65.11 |
| 9 | Mississippi | 63.55 |
| 10 | Alabama | 60.96 |
States with the Lowest Charges of Drunk Driving-Associated Deaths
Northeastern states constantly rank among the many states with the bottom drunk driving-related fatality charges. The authors attribute larger entry to public transportation and stricter DUI legal guidelines as attainable causes for this.
| Rank | State | Complete Rating |
| 1 | Utah | 31.39 |
| 2 | New Jersey | 31.79 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 31.80 |
| 4 | Minnesota | 36.22 |
| 5 | New York | 36.68 |
| 6 | Alaska | 36.78 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 39.31 |
| 8 | Michigan | 40.64 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 41.03 |
| 10 | Hawaii | 41.47 |
Curbing Drunk Driving with Know-how
In December 2023, NHTSA introduced an Advance Discover of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) geared towards laying the groundwork for potential alcohol-impairment detection expertise requirements in all new passenger autos when the expertise is mature, in keeping with a information launch from the company.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation directed NHTSA to situation a closing rule establishing a Federal Motor Automobile Security Normal that requires new passenger autos to have “superior drunk and impaired driving prevention expertise.”
The laws mentioned that NHTSA ought to situation a brand new regulation provided that it meets the necessities of the Nationwide Site visitors and Motor Automobile Security Act, which states {that a} proposed normal have to be cheap, practicable, and cut back site visitors crashes and related deaths, amongst different components.
Advocacy teams voiced each help and opposition for the proposal. Client Stories mentioned the expertise has immense potential to make roadways safer, whereas the Middle for Democracy & Know-how pointed to potential privateness issues.
