Drunk Driving Fatalities Fall Below 10,000
By MADD | December 10, 2012| 8 Comments | Filed in: Drunk Driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released new data today showing 9,878 drunk driving fatalities in 2011.  As a result, MADD is celebrating an historic milestone in the nation’s fight against drunk driving: the first time drunk driving fatalities have fallen below 10,000.
Not only did the number of people killed in drunk driving crashes in 2011 (9,878) drop by 2.5 percent from the number killed in 2010 (10,136), but this decline outpaced the 1.9 percent decrease in overall highway deaths.  

This drop in deaths is an important milestone in our nation’s ongoing fight against drunk driving and is further validation that MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® is working. 

Since MADD was founded in 1980, more than 300,000 lives have been saved as a result of efforts to strengthen drunk driving laws and raise awareness about this 100 percent preventable crime. In addition, since MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving was launched in 2006, we’ve seen an almost 27 percent decrease in drunk driving fatalities.

While we have much to celebrate today, we are also reminded of the 9,878 precious lives lost to drunk driving last year and the countless loved ones left behind to pick up the pieces. In addition, we know that preliminary numbers indicate an overall increase for highway deaths in 2012, so please help MADD remind people across the country to remain vigilant in always planning ahead for a sober designated driver during the holidays and year-round.

Click here to see the 2011 state by state fatality data.


   

Comments

Submitted by jemerson at 09:28 PM on March 16, 2013
how many people in 2012 have been killed by alchohol related crashes
Submitted by bob at 02:31 PM on March 14, 2013
i think the laws should be stricter because if that many people haved died. thats disappoiting
Submitted by PosterIdaho at 01:14 PM on January 30, 2013
Randy, you are nuts. Pot is just as bad as beer. I know since I have smoked it in the past. Now, about those death figures..... Why isn't our Fed Gummit as passionate about DD as they are about BANNING GUNS???? Seems there are an order of magnitude more deaths by drunk driving as are killed by mass murderers. But, hey, that would make every politician a criminal and does not disarm us so they can REALLY control us.
Submitted by IdahoPoster at 09:18 AM on January 2, 2013
Randy, you are nuts. Pot is just as bad as beer. I know since I have smoked it in the past. Now, about those death figures..... Why isn't our Fed Gummit as passionate about DD as they are about BANNING GUNS???? Seems there are an order of magnitude more deaths by drunk driving as are killed by mass murderers. But, hey, that would make every politician a criminal and does not disarm us so they can REALLY control us.
Submitted by steve at 05:21 AM on January 1, 2013
Why the witch hunt on drunk drivers? Everybody knows that the majority of traffic deaths are caused by the sober driver. Why are drunk drivers singled out, and the sober drivers who kill are given a free pass? The overwhelming cause of traffic accidents is the sober driver.
Submitted by Ash at 04:19 PM on December 20, 2012
How many children die each year by drunk drivers. How do we define children is it under sixteen or how do we define teen. I have a discussion going as to whether more children are killed by gun violence or by drunk drivers any help would be appreciated. Thank YOu.
Submitted by randy at 08:23 AM on December 13, 2012
What people don't understand with the difference with people driving high is that pot does not effect the equilibrium in the ear.It's much different than being drunk. You can talk to someone that has been smoking weed and not know it. Especially if the person has been smoking for a few years.
Submitted by Deborah at 07:26 PM on December 10, 2012
MADD has done an excellent job regarding lobbying for tough law changes in regards to drunk driving. However, in light of the changes in marijuana laws shouldn't this mission be expanded? Many people are driving impaired while "high" and the police have a more difficult time with enforcement. Shouldn't MADD take a lead on this issue?

Leave a Comment

Nickname
Comment
Enter this word:
CAPTCHA image
Change image Visually impaired? Click here to have an audio challenge played. You will then need to enter the code that is spelled out.

Powered by Convio
nonprofit software