2006 DUI Statistics

Drunk Driving in the U.S.

In 2006, there were 42,642 total traffic fatalities. 17,602 (41%) were alcohol related crashes.

13,470  ( 32%)  involved a driver with an illegal BAC .08 or greater. These numbers average:

• 339 people killed every week
• 48 people every day
• 2 people every hour
• 1 person every 30 minutes
• The average national (mean) Breath Alcohol Content (BAC) for DUI was .16. ^[i]
• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people from 3 to 33 years old. ^[ii]
• About one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of driving under the influenceare repeat offenders. These drivers are 40% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those without prior DUIs. [iii]
• In a recent study, sixty percent of those surveyed said they had operated a car or truck under the influence of alcohol or close to being under the influence of alcohol,  up from 57 percent in 2000. [iv]

Drunk Driving in Mississippi

In 2006, 911 people were killed in traffic crashes and375 of these were killed in alcohol-related crashes

• 41% of MS.traffic deaths were alcohol related
• 89%, or 337 of these 375  fatalities involved a .08+ BAC driver
• 60%, or 224 of these 375  fatalities involved a .15+ BAC driver
• 23% of MS. Alcohol related fatalities were youth between the ages of 15 and 19.
• The average (mean) Breath Alcohol Content (BAC) for  Mississippi DUI drivers was .128
• The illegal Breath Alcohol Content (BAC) for  Mississippi is .08 

Total DUI arrests in Mississippi: 23,693 – 18,560 were licensed Mississippi drivers.

Underage DUI arrests in Mississippi: 2,140 – 12% of these licensed Mississippi drivers. These young drivers are committing two serious offenses – both drinking illegally and driving under the influence.

NHTSA 2006 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment-September 2007

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO LOWER THESE STATISITICS

• Don’t drink and drive.
• Never get in a car with someone who has been drinking.
• Be a designated sober driver.
• Wear your safety belt. Make sure your riders do too.
• Properly secure children in child safety seats.
• Be a responsible host. Do not let your guests drive after drinking and never serve alcohol to   anyone under the age of 21.
• Support drunk driving and underage drinking prevention laws and victim’s rights legislation by contacting your elected officials.
• Report drunk drivers immediately to law enforcement.
• GET INVOLVED. Call 601.939.0233 or 800.368.6233 for more information.
• Check out MADD MS at madd.org/ms  

[i]National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  “Traffic Safety Facts 2005: Alcohol.” DOT 810 606. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2006.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2005/AlcoholTSF05.pdf

[ii]National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  “Traffic Safety Facts 2005: Overview”. DOT 810 623. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2006.
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2005/OverviewTSF05.pdf

[iii]National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1997 FARS data. http://www.madd.org/madd_programs/10337#1 

[iv] MADD and Nationwide Insurance Survey, Conducted by Gallup. “Drinking and Driving: Americans' Greatest Highway Safety Concern.” 2005. http://madd.org/stats/10270run