The next time you consider driving after drinking, picture a person dying in a drunk driving crash every 39 minutes, a relentless national tragedy where over 13,000 lives are lost each year and countless more are forever injured.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, 13,384 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in the United States, representing 31% of all traffic fatalities.
- Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities increased by 14% from 2019 to 2020, rising from 10,142 to 11,654 deaths.
- In 2022, there were 13,524 deaths in crashes involving a driver with illegal BAC (.08+), a 2% increase from 2021.
- In 2021, approximately 293,200 people were injured in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.
- Alcohol-impaired driving injuries rose 5% from 2020 to 2021, from ~280,000 to 293,200.
- Serious injuries from DUI crashes numbered 62,000 in 2020.
- The lifetime cost of DUI injuries averages $1.5 million per serious case.
- Drunk driving crashes cost the US $249 billion annually in medical, lost productivity, etc.
- Average cost per alcohol-impaired crash death: $1.7 million (2020 dollars).
- Men aged 21-34 account for 35% of all drunk drivers in fatal crashes.
- Drivers aged 21-24 have the highest DUI arrest rate at 4,000 per 100,000.
- Males represent 80% of drunk drivers killed in crashes.
- Drunk driving fatalities decreased 50% from 1982 (20,000) to 2021 (13,384).
- DUI arrests dropped 20% from 2013 to 2020 due to rideshares.
- Post-COVID, DUI fatalities surged 18% in 2021.
Drunk driving deaths persistently rise, claiming thousands of lives each year.
Demographics
- Men aged 21-34 account for 35% of all drunk drivers in fatal crashes.
- Drivers aged 21-24 have the highest DUI arrest rate at 4,000 per 100,000.
- Males represent 80% of drunk drivers killed in crashes.
- 25% of 18-34 year olds admit to driving drunk in past year.
- Hispanic drivers overrepresented in DUI fatalities at 18% vs. 13% population.
- African American drivers: 25% of DUI deaths despite 13% population.
- In California, 40% of DUI arrestees are under 30.
- Texas: 50% of DUI drivers male 25-44.
- Ages 16-20: 20% of fatal DUI crashes per capita.
- Rural residents 2x more likely to die in DUI crashes.
- College students: 11% drive drunk monthly.
- 60% of repeat DUI offenders are male under 40.
- Native Americans highest DUI death rate: 20 per 100k.
- Florida: 45% of DUI fatalities male 21-34.
- 70% of drunk drivers in fatal crashes are white males.
- Women DUI arrests up 30% since 2000.
- Ages 35-44: second highest DUI involvement at 25%.
- Urban vs rural: urban 60% of DUI arrests.
- Wyoming: 90% male DUI drivers.
- Montana: young males 18-24 40% of fatalities.
- New Mexico: Hispanic drivers 50% of DUI deaths.
- Oregon: 30% of DUI under 25.
- Nevada: tourists 20% of DUI arrests.
- 15-20 year olds: BAC 0.08+ 16x crash risk.
- Over 50s: 10% of DUI fatalities despite 40% population.
Demographics Interpretation
The statistics paint a grim, predictable portrait of a problem that is overwhelmingly male, disproportionately young, and stubbornly anchored in specific demographics, proving that while a drunk driver can come from anywhere, the odds are sadly not random.
Economic Costs
- The lifetime cost of DUI injuries averages $1.5 million per serious case.
- Drunk driving crashes cost the US $249 billion annually in medical, lost productivity, etc.
- Average cost per alcohol-impaired crash death: $1.7 million (2020 dollars).
- DUI injuries cost $88 billion yearly in healthcare and rehab.
- Lost productivity from DUI fatalities: $100 billion per year.
- Property damage from drunk driving: $44 billion annually.
- Insurance premiums rise by $500/year due to DUI claims nationwide.
- California DUI crash costs: $15 billion in 2021.
- Texas alcohol crash economic burden: $20 billion yearly.
- Federal government spends $2 billion on DUI enforcement annually.
- Workplace losses from DUI: 500,000 missed workdays per year.
- Average DUI conviction fine: $10,000 including court and insurance hikes.
- Pain and suffering costs in DUI crashes: $50 billion/year.
- Legal system costs for DUI: $15 billion annually.
- Florida DUI economic impact: $8 billion in 2022.
- Each DUI fatality costs society $2.3 million in quality-adjusted life years.
- Emergency response to DUI crashes: $5 billion/year.
- Long-term disability from DUI injuries: $30 billion annually.
- Wyoming DUI costs per capita highest at $1,200/resident.
- Montana alcohol crash costs: $1.2 billion in 2020.
- New Mexico DUI economic losses: $2.5 billion/year.
- Oregon DUI costs: $1.8 billion annually.
- Nevada alcohol-impaired crash costs: $3 billion in 2021.
- Total societal cost of DUI per mile driven: $0.12.
- Insurance payouts for DUI claims: $40 billion/year.
Economic Costs Interpretation
Driving drunk is a staggeringly expensive way to demonstrate that you failed basic math, costing society hundreds of billions annually in everything from medical bills to the profound price of lost lives.
Fatalities
- In 2021, 13,384 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in the United States, representing 31% of all traffic fatalities.
- Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities increased by 14% from 2019 to 2020, rising from 10,142 to 11,654 deaths.
- In 2022, there were 13,524 deaths in crashes involving a driver with illegal BAC (.08+), a 2% increase from 2021.
- From 2012 to 2021, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities rose by 32%, from 10,142 to 13,384.
- Nighttime alcohol-impaired driving fatalities (8 PM-4 AM) accounted for 32% of all impaired fatalities in 2021.
- In 2020, 69% of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes were unrestrained, contributing to higher death tolls.
- Motorcycle riders killed in alcohol-impaired crashes increased 38% from 2009 to 2018.
- In California, 1,457 people died in drunk driving crashes in 2021.
- Texas recorded 1,711 alcohol-related traffic deaths in 2021.
- Florida had 941 fatalities in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2022.
- In 2021, 25% of all child passenger deaths (ages 0-14) involved alcohol-impaired drivers.
- Pedestrian deaths in alcohol-impaired crashes made up 19% of all impaired fatalities in 2021.
- During holiday periods (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year), drunk driving deaths spike by 10-20% annually.
- In 2019, 10,142 people died in DUI crashes, with men accounting for 80% of drunk drivers killed.
- Wyoming had the highest alcohol-impaired driving death rate per 100,000 population at 7.44 in 2021.
- South Dakota's rate was 6.95 alcohol-impaired deaths per 100k in 2021.
- In 2021, 38 children (14 and under) were killed in DUI crashes daily on weekends.
- Repeat DUI offenders were involved in 25% of fatal alcohol crashes in recent years.
- In 2020, Montana had 147 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities.
- New Mexico saw 336 DUI deaths in 2021.
- Every 39 minutes, someone dies in an alcohol-related crash in the US (based on 2021 data).
- In 2021, 70% of drunk driving fatalities involved drivers with BAC over 0.15.
- Alcohol was involved in 29% of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2020.
- From 2003-2012, young drivers (15-20) had highest DUI fatality rates.
- In 2018, 72% of nighttime (12 AM-3 AM) crash deaths involved alcohol.
- Oregon reported 182 alcohol fatal crashes in 2021.
- Nevada had 281 DUI fatalities in 2021.
- Alaska's alcohol-impaired death rate was 6.12 per 100k in 2021.
- In 2021, 4,531 passenger vehicle occupants died in alcohol-impaired crashes.
- Drunk driving caused 30% of all traffic deaths in rural areas in 2021.
Fatalities Interpretation
While a sobering 31% of all U.S. traffic deaths are drunk drivers killing someone every 39 minutes, it's a morbid math where the steepest variables are a voluntary choice to drive impaired and a tragic failure to buckle up, turning holidays, nights, and entire states into recurring crime scenes where even children aren't spared.
Injuries
- In 2021, approximately 293,200 people were injured in alcohol-impaired driving crashes.
- Alcohol-impaired driving injuries rose 5% from 2020 to 2021, from ~280,000 to 293,200.
- Serious injuries from DUI crashes numbered 62,000 in 2020.
- In 2019, 327,000 people were injured in crashes involving a drunk driver.
- California reported 25,000 DUI injuries in 2021.
- Texas had over 70,000 alcohol-related injuries in 2021.
- From 2016-2020, DUI crashes caused 1.5 million injuries nationwide.
- 28% of all traffic injuries in 2021 involved alcohol.
- Traumatic brain injuries from drunk driving crashes affect 50,000 annually.
- In 2020, 40% of injured drivers in crashes had BAC over 0.08.
- Florida saw 22,000 DUI injuries in 2022.
- Pedestrians injured in alcohol-impaired crashes: 8,000 in 2021.
- Cyclists injured by drunk drivers: 1,200 serious injuries in 2020.
- In 2021, 15% of child injuries (0-14) in crashes involved drunk drivers.
- Hospitalizations from DUI crashes cost 2 million ER visits yearly.
- Repeat offenders caused 20% of DUI injuries in 2021.
- Nighttime injuries from drunk driving are 3x higher than daytime.
- In 2018, alcohol contributed to 250,000 police-reported crash injuries.
- Wyoming's DUI injury rate per capita is highest at 1,200 per 100k.
- Montana reported 3,500 alcohol-related injuries in 2020.
- New Mexico had 12,000 DUI injuries in 2021.
- Oregon's alcohol crash injuries: 7,800 in 2021.
- Nevada DUI injuries: 15,000 in 2021.
- 60% of DUI injury victims are passengers or non-drivers.
- Spinal injuries from drunk crashes: 30,000 annually.
- In 2021, urban areas saw 200,000 DUI injuries vs. 93,200 rural.
Injuries Interpretation
The numbers tell a sobering story: while drunk driving injuries are a persistent national epidemic, the fact that a significant portion involve repeat offenders means we're not just failing to stop the crime, but also failing to stop the criminals.
Trends
- Drunk driving fatalities decreased 50% from 1982 (20,000) to 2021 (13,384).
- DUI arrests dropped 20% from 2013 to 2020 due to rideshares.
- Post-COVID, DUI fatalities surged 18% in 2021.
- States with .05 BAC limit saw 10% fatality drop.
- Ignition interlocks reduced recidivism by 67%.
- Holiday DUI deaths down 5% with awareness campaigns.
- Weekend nights: 50% of DUI fatalities, steady trend.
- Per capita DUI deaths fell from 5.8/100k in 1982 to 3.9 in 2021.
- Motorcycle DUI fatalities up 25% last decade.
- California DUI fatalities down 20% since 2010.
- Texas saw 10% rise in DUI deaths 2019-2021.
- National DUI conviction rate improved to 90% with tech.
- Rural DUI rates stable high at 40% of fatalities.
- Breathalyzer use in stops up 30%, reducing crashes.
- Young driver DUI down 40% since MLPA laws.
- Global DUI deaths fell 20% since 2010 per WHO.
- Repeat offender crashes down 15% with 24/7 programs.
- Wyoming DUI rates highest, up 5% recently.
- New Mexico DUI down 10% with checkpoints.
- Oregon interlock laws cut recidivism 50%.
- Nevada tourism DUI steady at 25% of total.
- Overall VMT-adjusted DUI risk down 60% since 1980s.
- Rideshare apps reduced DUI by 7% in cities.
- BAC 0.08 law states saw 9% fatality reduction.
Trends Interpretation
We’ve engineered a 50% drop in drunk driving deaths over forty years through smarter laws and technology, yet stubborn spikes—like the post-pandemic surge or the relentless toll on rural roads and motorcycles—remind us this remains a preventable crisis we can’t simply arrest our way out of.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NHTSAnhtsa.govVisit source
- Reference 2CRASHSTATScrashstats.nhtsa.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 3IIIiii.orgVisit source
- Reference 4INJURYFACTSinjuryfacts.iii.orgVisit source
- Reference 5DMVdmv.ca.govVisit source
- Reference 6DPSdps.texas.govVisit source
- Reference 7FLHSMVflhsmv.govVisit source
- Reference 8MADDmadd.orgVisit source
- Reference 9CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 10MDTmdt.mt.govVisit source
- Reference 11IIHSiihs.orgVisit source
- Reference 12OREGONoregon.govVisit source
- Reference 13DPSdps.nv.govVisit source
- Reference 14NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 15AAAFOUNDATIONaaafoundation.orgVisit source
- Reference 16RESPONSIBILITYresponsibility.orgVisit source
- Reference 17GHSAghsa.orgVisit source
- Reference 18WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 19NBERnber.orgVisit source