Drunk Driving Statistics

“Drunk Driving Statistics” by Texas Personal Injury Attorney Daniel Willis

A 2010 survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed some interesting statistics about DWI accidents and the cavalier attitude toward drinking and driving across the nation.

Specifically, the survey found that, in the past year,  1 in 12 drivers admitted to driving while intoxicated and 1 in 5 drivers admitted to driving within two hours of consuming an alcoholic beverage.

Additionally, 4 out of 5 people surveyed indicated that they consider drinking and driving to be a significant threat to their safety and general welfare.

According to NHTSA officials, nearly a third of all fatal accidents in the United States are caused by drunk drivers.

“We could cut fatalities by half if we had 100% seat belt use and eliminated drunk driving,” said Vernon Betkey, chairman of the Governors Highway Safety Association.

In addition to finding that nearly 8 percent of all drivers have driven drunk, the survey also found the following:

• 8 percent of people rode as a passenger in a car driven by someone they believed was too drunk to drive
• 40 percent of people believed they could drive safely after consuming 3 drinks
• 11 percent of people believed they could drive safely after consuming 5 drinks

“We have to do more as a country to close the gap between believing that drunk driving is a threat and actively doing something about it. Impaired driving remains a very serious problem,” said David Strickland, an NHTSA Administrator.

If you or someone you know is involved in an accident involving a drunk driver, please contact The Begum Law Group today.  As always, it’s free to meet with us and you don’t pay any attorney’s fees until you receive compensation.  We would love to help you.