The use of alcohol by drivers in the U.S. is a serious problem; while alcohol-impaired driving decreased by 1.4 percent nationally in 2014, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drunk driving still kills thousands of people every year. The following takes a look at some alcohol-related car accident statistics that everyone should know.
Drunk Driving Caused 19 Percent of Childhood Traffic Fatalities
There were 1,070 children killed in car accidents in the U.S. in the year 2014. Of those, 19 percent (209) of childhood fatalities occurred in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. Thirty children were pedestrians or pedalcyclists at the time that they were struck; 116 were occupants of vehicles with drivers who had a blood alcohol content level (BAC) of .08 percent or higher.
Number of Drunk Driving-Related Fatalities
In the year 2014, there were 9,967 lives lost because of drunk driving on a national level, with an alcohol-related accident fatality rate of .33 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). In Washington State, there were 462 total traffic fatalities with 134 of those as the result of a drunk driver. Thirty-four of the 462 fatalities involved a driver with a BAC between .01 and .07.
The Economic Costs of Alcohol-related Crashes
The NHTSA reports that the total economic cost of all traffic accidents in the United States in 2010 was $242 billion. Of that, $44 billion was alcohol-related.
These costs include the estimated costs of this list.
- Lost productivity
- Workplace loss
- Legal expenses
- Medical costs
- Emergency services
- Insurance claims process
- Traffic congestion
- Property damage
Drunk Driving: A Serious Problem in the U.S.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has published a variety of facts and statistics on its website regarding the prevalence of drunk driving in the U.S.
A few of the scariest statistics include:
- Every two minutes, a person suffers injury in a drunk driving crash.
- Twenty-seven people die each day as a result of drunk driving in America.
- In 2014, one person died in a drunk driving accident every 53 minutes.
- Almost 29 million people (FOUR times the population of Washington State) admitted to driving under the influence in 2013.
Never Drink and Drive
Drinking and driving is illegal, dangerous, and can cost your life or the life of another. If you have had a drink, call a friend or find an alternative and safe ride home.
Over 60 percent of people will be involved in a drunk driving accident in their lifetime, according to MADD. If you have been involved in an accident with a drunk driver, you have the right to take legal action. If you cannot reach a fair settlement amount through an insurance claim, you may want to consider filing a personal injury lawsuit for damages. We want to be the ones to represent you throughout the claims or lawsuit process.
For help after an accident with a drunk driver, contact Max Meyers Law PLLC at 425-399-7000.
