Statistics from Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2006

Summary of Alcohol-Related Crash Statistics:

• 5,372 total alcohol-related collisions (2% decrease)
• 171 fatal alcohol-related collisions (17% decrease)
• 188 people killed in these collisions (14.5% decrease)
• 3,107 people injured in alcohol-related collisions (4% decrease)

• 593 teenage drivers were involved in alcohol-related collisions (3% increase).
• There were 13 alcohol-related fatal collisions involving teenage drivers (up from 11 in 2005).
• There were 13 fatalities in these collisions--3 were the teenage driver. 
• Teenagers made up 6% of Kentucky ’s licensed drivers but accounted for 11% of the alcohol-related collisions in 2006.

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 for computing costs comes from the National Safety Council.

• Economic cost of alcohol related fatalities to Kentucky :  $216,200,000
  • Comprehensive cost: $721,920,000
• Economic cost of injuries: $80,073,600
  • Comprehensive cost: $226,020,500
• Property damage cost (economic & comprehensive is same): $6,782,600
• Total economic cost of alcohol related collisions to Kentucky (death, injury, and property damage):  $303,056,200.
  • Total comprehensive cost: $954,,723,100

Nationwide Statistics for 2006

• There were 17,602 persons killed in alcohol related crashes.
• This is a 4% increase in alcohol related traffic fatalities from 2005 (16,885 killed).
• Of those 17,602 fatalities, 13,470 involved a driver at .08 BAC or above, accounting for 32% of all traffic fatalities nationwide.
• In comparison, according to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 24% of Kentucky ’s total traffic fatalities were from crashes that involved a driver at .08 BAC or above.