Alcohol-Impaired Driving: The Leading Cause of Traffic Fatalities in the U.S.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently shared alcohol-impaired driving statistics, revealing that 42,514 people died in car crashes in 2022. This figure, which represents all traffic fatalities, marks a 1.7% drop from 2021, showing a small improvement after two years of more deaths. However, alcohol-impaired driving is still a big problem, contributing to 32% of all U.S. traffic deaths. In 2022, 13,524 people were killed in crashes involving alcohol, which means one person died every 39 minutes due to alcohol-impaired driving.
What is Impaired Driving?
Impaired driving is when someone drives a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Alcohol-impaired driving specifically involves having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above the legal limit, typically 0.08% in most states. Even at lower BAC levels, alcohol can impair reaction time, judgment, and coordination, making the roads dangerous for everyone.
Impaired Driving Statistics
Despite ongoing efforts to reduce impaired driving, alcohol-related fatalities remain alarmingly high. However, the decrease of 0.7% in alcohol-impaired driving deaths from 2021 to 2022 provides a glimmer of hope.
Key impaired driving facts from 2022 include:
- Passenger vehicle alcohol-impaired driving deaths slightly decreased, contributing to the overall decline in drunk driving deaths.
- Motorcycle riders continue to face significant risk, with 42% of riders in fatal crashes testing positive for alcohol impairment.
- 40% of alcohol-impaired driving deaths involved drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15 or higher—nearly twice the legal limit.
Alcohol-Impaired Driving Laws and Prevention Methods
In response to the ongoing dangers of impaired driving, states across the country continue to strengthen drunk driving laws. States continue to expand ignition interlock device (IID) requirements to all offenders.
Interlock devices have proven to be effective in preventing drunk drivers from re-offending by requiring them to pass a breathalyzer test before starting their vehicle.
Utah remains a standout example of stringent DUI laws with its .05 BAC limit, which is lower than the national standard of .08 BAC. This change has led to a reduction in alcohol-impaired driving deaths in the state, showing how stricter laws can save lives.
Organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) continue to advocate for all 50 states to pass all-offender IID laws and implement other high-visibility law enforcement tactics, such as sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols, to reduce the incidence of alcohol-impaired driving.
Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving Deaths
Although the overall decrease in traffic fatalities is a positive step, the fact that more than 13,000 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2022 highlights that much work remains. Law enforcement, legislation, and technology—such as IIDs—are essential tools in combating this issue. Continuing to push for tougher DUI laws and greater public awareness will be critical in reducing these preventable deaths.
Call Intoxalock to Get Your IID Installed Today
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