Why Is Drinking And Driving A Problem? Facts and Statistics

Drinking while under the influence of alcohol has become a terrible epidemic in today’s society. In the United States alone, 28 people die per day from alcohol related accidents. In order to better understand why drinking and driving is such a widespread problem, get acquainted with the statistics associated with driving under the influence.

  • Roughly one-third of deadly traffic accidents involving teens have alcohol as a main factor
  • Kids who are introduced to alcohol at an early age are seven times more likely to be involved in an alcohol-related crash later in life
  • 17% of all alcohol-related crash casualties in 2010 were children 14 and younger
  • Drunk driving related incidences cost each taxpayer approximately $800 per year
  • In 2012, the number of alcohol-related crashes doubled on weekends (30%) compared to weekdays (15%)
  • Almost half of all drivers that are killed in crashes test positive for alcohol or drugs in their system
  • Every 90 seconds a pedestrian is injured in an alcohol-related accident
  • ⅓ of alcohol-related casualties are not the driver- they are passengers, occupants, or bystanders
  • Almost 80% of drivers with suspended licenses continue to drive illegally
  • 14% of drivers that are involved in a fatal crash that involves alcohol already has a previously suspended or revoked license

These are just a few of the horrifying statistics of drunk driving and the impact it has on civilians. On a screen, they are numbers and percentages, but in real life, these are human beings and family members. It is easy to see why preventing impaired drivers from getting into a vehicle is key to helping the cause, and interlocking devices aid in the movement of keeping roads safer.