Drunk Driving Statistics

How Many People Die From Alcohol-Related Crashes?

Alcohol-impaired driving is when a driver has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08, the legal limit in the U.S., or above. In the U.S., 32 people are killed in drunk-driving motor vehicle crashes every day.

In 2020, the most recent year that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published national data, 11,654 people died in drunk-driving crashes, a 14 percent increase from 2019. Drunk driving is involved in one in three fatal crashes in the U.S., making it one of the most common causes of motor vehicle fatalities.¹

By Year

From 2006 to 2020, the number of drunk-driving fatalities decreased by 15 percent. While in 2006, 80 percent of fatal crashes involved alcohol impairment, by 2020, that number had decreased to 78 percent, a trend we’d like to see continue in years to come.

By State

The worst state for drunk driving is Montana. In this state, 67 percent of fatal crashes in 2020 involved drunk driving. On the other end of the spectrum is Alaska, where only 35 percent of traffic fatalities were alcohol-related. The average across all states is 51 percent, accounting for about half of all motor vehicle deaths.

Note that the NHTSA records data based on the driver involved with the highest BAC, so if there are two drivers in the crash, one with a BAC of 0.00 (sober) and one with a BAC of 0.09 (drunk), the latter will be recorded and the accident will be considered alcohol-impaired.

By Age

While teen drivers get a bad reputation for underage drinking and driving, the demographic that dies from drunk driving the most is adults ages 25 to 34. In 2020, 59 percent of fatal crashes among this age group involved drunk driving, compared to an average of 50 percent across all age groups.

That said, car crashes are a leading cause of death for teens. Learn more about this issue in our roundup of teen driver crash statistics.

The lowest drunk-driving rates in 2020 were found with senior drivers ages 75 and older. Less than a third of all traffic fatalities in that age group involved alcohol impairment. Generally, drunk driving peaks at age 34 and steadily declines through late adulthood.

In debates about gun laws, many people compare gun violence to drunk driving. But which kills more people in the U.S.?

Nationally, the answer is drunk driving. In 2020, for example, drunk driving killed 21,928 more people in the U.S. than guns, or 130 percent more, according to data from the Violence Policy Center.²

However, there are some states in which gun deaths outnumber drunk driving deaths. In Virginia, for example, there were 94 percent more gun deaths than drunk-driving deaths in 2020. Other states where gun violence deaths outweighed drunk-driving deaths include:

• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Washington, D.C.
• Alaska
• Texas
• Wisconsin
• Delaware
• Kansas
• Pennsylvania

See your state’s comparison below.

When it comes to drunk driving, you may hear a lot of acronyms thrown around: DUI, DWI, OWI, SR-22 and more. But what’s the difference between DUIs and DWIs?

• DUIs: DUI stands for “driving under the influence” with a vehicle either in motion or, in some states, under a person’s control — meaning you can get a DUI for sitting in a parked car.³
• DWIs: DWI, which stands for “driving while intoxicated,” is a more serious charge than DUI, as it refers exclusively to drinking and driving. Convictions are often based on BAC levels.

Are DUIs and DWIs Felonies?

Both DUIs and DWIs can be misdemeanors or felonies, depending on whether it was a first offense and the results of the incident, such as any deaths or serious injuries. While misdemeanors typically result in a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, felonies could mean years in prison, thousands in fines, license suspension and a loss of voting rights in the most extreme cases.

Whether you’re driving under the influence of just alcohol or mixing alcohol with drugs, your driving will be affected negatively. Here’s how.

Alcohol Alone

• Impaired judgment: Alcohol makes it difficult to judge the speed and movement of other vehicles and the distance between them, making it easy to drift into other lanes or even run off the road.
• Blurred vision: You may have double vision, which is more than a little distracting. Even with a BAC as low as .02 g/dl, your eyesight could be affected.
• Inability to distinguish colors: Drunk drivers may find it difficult to distinguish colors in signals, roadway markings and traffic signs.
• Slowed reaction times: Your reflexes aren’t as quick when you’re intoxicated, as alcohol is a depressant. That makes driving defensively difficult, if not impossible.

Alcohol and Drugs

• Alcohol and marijuana: Combining alcohol and marijuana while driving can further slow your judgment, reaction times and coordination, exacerbating the effects of alcohol alone.
• Alcohol and medications: Whether they’re prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), some medications cause dizziness and drowsy driving. You should always ask your doctor or pharmacist before driving on medication, even if you’re not under the influence of alcohol too.

Motorcyclists

In 2020, 5,268 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes, 27 percent of whom had BACs of .08 or higher. This is the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers than for any other vehicle type. Zooming in on the data further, motorcyclists ages 45 to 49 had the highest rate of drunk-driving deaths, with 35 percent of traffic fatalities in that demographic involving drunk driving.

Speeding

Speeding is also related to drunk driving, according to data from the National Safety Council. One-third of speeding drivers who died in traffic accidents in 2020 were drunk. Learn more about teen speeding.

People with Prior Convictions

Not surprisingly, people with previous convictions for driving while impaired were more likely to die in fatal crashes compared to those with no prior conviction — four times more likely, to be specific.

Legal

Of course, it’s illegal to drive drunk in every state and doing so can result in either a misdemeanor or felony charge. A drunk-driving conviction could result in:

• Driver’s license revocation
• Ignition interlock requirement
• Fines
• Jail time
• Legal fees
• SR-22 requirement

• Choose a designated driver: Before you go out, designate one person in your friend group to be your sober driver.
• Don’t let others drink and drive: If you see a drunk person trying to drive, take their keys away from them.
• Use other modes of transportation: Rather than driving yourself, use other modes of transportation such as public transit, rideshares or taxis.
• Wear your seatbelt: Seatbelts can greatly reduce your risk of injuries or death, no matter who’s behind the wheel.

While driving home tipsy may not seem like a big deal, it can produce lifelong consequences. But with the proliferation of rideshare services like Uber, drinking and driving is becoming less common in the U.S. It’s certainly worth the money if you have no safer option!

We used third-party sources to create this report, including:

• NHTSA
• National Safety Council
• Nolo
• Violence Policy Center