Under the Influence
Michael H. McKee
Tropp & Company, Inc.
How extensive is the problem of people driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs?
Of the 41,967 traffic fatalities in 1997, 39% were alcohol-related (i.e., either the driver of the crash vehicle or an affected person not in a vehicle (e.g., a pedestrian or a bicyclist) had a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.01 gram per deciliter (g/dL).
The U.S. is making progress toward reducing alcohol-related traffic fatalities. The 16,189 alcohol-related traffic fatalities in 1997 represent a 32% reduction from the 23,641 alcohol-related fatalities in 1987.
From 1985 to 1995 for persons ages 15-34 years, the alcohol-related traffic fatality rate declined 32% while the nonalcohol traffic fatality rate declined 13%.
Each year in the U.S. there are over 120 million episodes of impaired driving among adults.
About 1.4 million arrests are made annually for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics (1 in every 123 licensed drivers).
How often is alcohol a factor in traffic fatalities involving young people?
In 1997, 14% of drivers aged 16-20 years and 26% of drivers aged 21-24 years who were involved in fatal crashes were legally drunk (BAC 0.10g/dL or greater).
Young men aged 18-20 years (too young to legally buy alcohol) report driving while impaired almost as frequently as men aged 21-34 years.
At all levels of blood alcohol concentration, the risk of being involved in a crash is greater for young people than it is for older people.
How often is alcohol a factor in traffic fatalities among children?
In 1996, 21% of the 2,761 traffic fatalities among children aged 0-14 years involved alcohol.
Of the child passenger deaths that involve a driver with a BAC >0.10 g/dL, 60% of the time it is the driver of the child's car who is impaired.
Which other subgroups are most likely to be involved in fatal alcohol-related crashes?
Male drivers who die in motor vehicle crashes are almost twice as likely as female drivers to be legally drunk (BAC of 0.10 g/dL or greater).
The highest intoxication rates among drivers in fatal crashes in 1997 were for those 21 to 24 years old (26.3%), followed by 25 to 34 years old (23.8%) and 35 to 44 years old (22.1%).
Drivers aged 21-34 years who have been arrested for driving while impaired are over four times as likely to eventually die in a crash involving alcohol than those who have not been arrested for driving while intoxicated.
Adult drivers aged 35 years or older who have been arrested for drunk driving are over 11 times more likely to eventually die in crashes involving alcohol than are those who have never been arrested.
What role do drugs other than alcohol have in deaths related to motor vehicle crashes?
Drugs other than alcohol (e.g., marijuana and cocaine) have been identified as factors in 18% of deaths among motor vehicle drivers. Other drugs are generally used in combination with alcohol.
Most fatally injured drivers who have used drugs other than alcohol are male, or 25-54 years of age, or both.
How much do alcohol-related crashes cost?
In 1994, alcohol-related crashes cost the U.S. $45 billion in direct cost, loss of earnings and household productivity.
Do most people who drink and drive have serious alcohol problems?
More than 70% of drivers convicted of driving while impaired are either heavy frequent drinkers (alcohol abuse) or alcoholics (alcohol dependent).
What are the national objectives with regard to drinking and driving?
By 2005, the U.S. Department of Transportation wants to reduce the number of deaths due to alcohol-related crashes to 11,000.
How could alcohol-related traffic fatalities be prevented?
Effective measures include:
- Promptly suspending the driver's licenses of people who drive while intoxicated.
- Lowering the permissible levels of blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) for adults and zero tolerance for drivers younger than 21 years old in all states.
- Sobriety checkpoints.
- Continued public education, community awareness, and media campaigns about the dangers of alcohol-impaired driving.
Are there other proposals to reduce alcohol-related traffic fatalities?
Some other suggested measures include:
- Reducing the legal limit for blood alcohol to 0.05 g/dL
- Raising state and federal alcohol excise taxes
- Implementing compulsory blood alcohol testing when traffic crashes result in injury
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