Statistics from Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2007

Summary of Alcohol-Related Crash Statistics:

• 5,189 total alcohol-related collisions (3.4% decrease)
• 188 fatal alcohol-related collisions (9.9% increase)
• 204 persons killed in these collisions (8.5% increase)
• 2,866 persons injured in alcohol-related collisions (7.7% decrease)

• 519 teenage drivers were involved in alcohol-related collisions (12.4% decrease).
• There were 11 alcohol-related fatal collisions involving teenage drivers, with 12 total fatalities--6 were the teenage driver. 
• Teenagers made up 5.9% of Kentucky’s licensed drivers but accounted for 10% of the alcohol-related collisions in 2007.

Cost Analysis of Alcohol-Related Crashes:
Economic costs include wage loss, medical expense, administration costs, property damage, and employer costs.  Comprehensive costs include economic costs and also a measure of the value of lost quality of life from injuries and deaths.  The formulas used come from the National Safety Council.

• Economic cost of alcohol related fatalities to Kentucky:  $246,840,000
• Comprehensive cost: $816,000,000
• Economic cost of injuries: $72,782,600
• Comprehensive cost: $203,887,000
• Property damage cost (economic & comprehensive is same): $6,630,800
• Total economic cost of alcohol related collisions to Kentucky (death, injury, and property damage):  $326,253,400.
• Total comprehensive cost: $1,026,571,800

Nationwide Statistics for 2007

• There were 12,998 persons killed in alcohol-impaired (BAC .08 and above) crashes, which is a 3.7% decrease from 2006.
• These drunk driving fatalities account for 31.7% of all traffic fatalities nationwide.
• In comparison, according to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 24.3% of Kentucky’s total traffic fatalities were from crashes that involved a driver at .08 BAC or above.  This makes Kentucky third best in the nation, behind Utah (17.1%) and Iowa (23.8%).