Drunk driving statistics can be referred to indicate the full extent of the impact of driving under the influence on the U.S. population, in terms of the rates of damage and injury caused, as well as the economic impact caused by car accidents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also commonly identified as the CDC, can be referred to as one particularly authoritative source as to drunk driving stats, in that this organization is a U.S. governmental department and as such will verify its information as accurate and comprehensively collected. Other drunk driving statistics commonly referred to online may or may not be accurate.
Scope of Problem
The drunk driving statistics collected and issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include information, for one, on the subject of the extent to which drunk driving causes accidents in the U.S. and the various ill-effects that can result for the U.S. population.
For one, drunk driving stats collected from 2008 have indicated that intoxication accounted for close to 1/3 of the fatalities which occurred in traffic during that year, as comprised 11,773 different cases. Moreover, 1/6 of the deaths which occurred of children in that year have been included in drunk driving statistics.
Risk to U.S. Population
According to the drunk driving stats collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the highest risk posed to the U.S. population by DUI occurrences in terms of age skews toward the younger segment of the country’s populace.
As such, drunk driving statistics collected from instances of causes linked to Blood Alcohol Content levels exceeding 0.08% in the 2008 period and causing fatalities involved people in the 21-24 time range in 34% of cases. For the 25-34 age range, meanwhile, drunk driving stats indicated a 31% prevalence for fatalities caused by intoxication while driving.
Motorcyclist Accidents
Drunk driving stats have also indicated a verifiable relationship between the occurrence of fatalities in the case of motorcycle accidents and intoxication, specifically at or beyond the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level of 0.08%.
In terms of the relationship between age and fatal accidents for drunk driving statistics collected from motorcyclists who have been killed in such instances, CDC research indicates that close to 50% have passed their 40th birthday, and that the greatest prevalence for drunk driving statistics specifically related to motorcycle usage is in the 40-44 age range.
Behavior Patterns
CDC research has also collected information related to the relationship between a person’s record, or lack thereof, for driving while under the influence, and his or her likelihood of incurring similar charges in the future and accordingly placing other drivers, pedestrians and passengers in jeopardy.
As such, of the drunk driving statistics collected from instances in which fatalities are incurred, in the course of car accidents, as a result of a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level exceeding that of 0.08%, indicate that these are 8 times more likely to occur for previous DUI defendants than not.
Other Intoxicants
The CDC has also collected information on the extent to which DUI-type accidents occur without coming under the coverage of drunk driving stats, as well as the extent to which the use of other intoxicating substances can overlap with alcohol usage and accordingly lead to traffic fatalities.
As such, it has been found that close to ⅕ of traffic fatalities, specifically of drivers, are caused by an intoxicant other than alcohol.
