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The Sobering Truth About Drinking and Driving

Tower near water Marina

The Sobering Truth About Drinking and Driving

Often, mere numbers fail to convey the true loss which is being quantified. Like the number of U.S. Soldiers and Marines who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Or like the number of our fellow citizens who are killed every year in Pennsylvania alcohol-related car accidents, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents.

The following numbers were prepared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2008, nearly 40% of all Pennsylvania fatal car accidents involved alcohol. Pennsylvania drunk driving statistics are a sobering reminder of the human tragedy created by the deadly mix of alcohol and driving.

Alcohol-related deaths in the US since 1982:

Total fatalities

Alcohol-related

fatalities

Year
Number
Number
Percent
1982
43,945
26,173
60
1983
42,589
24,635
58
1984
44,257
24,762
56
1985
43,825
23,167
53
1986
46,087
25,017
54
1987
46,390
24,094
52
1988
47,087
23,833
51
1989
45,582
22,424
49
1990
44,599
22,587
51
1991
41,508
20,159
49
1992
39,250
18,290
47
1993
40,150
17,908
45
1994
40,716
17,308
43
1995
41,817
17,732
42
1996
42,065
17,749
42
1997
42,013
16,711
40
1998
41,501
16,673
40
1999
41,717
16,572
40
2000
41,945
17,380
41
2001
42,196
17,400
41
2002
43,005
17,524
41
2003
42,643
17,013
40
2004
42,518
16,919
39
2005
43,443
16,885
39
2006
42,532
15,829
37
2007
41,059
15,387
37
2008
37,261
13,846
37

Drinking and driving fatalities by state in 2008 (ranked by highest number of
alcohol-related* deaths):

State
Total Fatalities

Alcohol-Related

Fatalities

 

Number
Percent
Texas3,3821,46343
California3,4341,19835
Florida2,9781,04135
Pennsylvania1,46857839
North Carolina1,43350035
Georgia1,49348933
South Carolina92046350
Illinois1,04343442
Ohio1,19041535
New York1,23140933
Louisiana91240444
Tennessee1,03538637
Alabama96636738
Virginia82436544
Missouri96036438
Michigan98033134
Arizona93732935
Mississippi78329738
Oklahoma74927437
Indiana81425031
Wisconsin60525041
Kentucky82622627
Washington52122543
Arkansas60020534
Colorado54820237
New Jersey59019733
Maryland59118631
Minnesota45616135
Oregon41615938
Kansas38515741
Massachusetts36315142
West Virginia38014237
Nevada32412137
New Mexico36611832
Iowa41211327
Connecticut26410440
Montana22910345
Idaho2329340
Nebraska2087536
Wyoming1597547
Utah2755520
New Hampshire1395338
North Dakota1045250
Hawaii1075046
Delaware1214940
Maine1554730
South Dakota1194134
Rhode Island652945
Alaska622438
Vermont731521
Dist of Columbia341339
National37,26113,84637
Puerto Rico39916241

The table below shows
alcohol-impaired** motor vehicle fatalities in the US for 2008.

StateTotal Fatalities*BAC=.08+
NumberNumberPercent
Texas3,3821,26938
California3,4341,02930
Florida2,97887529
Pennsylvania1,46849634
North Carolina1,43342330
Georgia1,49341628
South Carolina92040344
Illinois1,04336235
Ohio1,19035630
New York1,23134128
Louisiana91233837
Tennessee1,03532732
Alabama96631533
Virginia82429436
Missouri96031032
Michigan98028229
Arizona93726628
Mississippi78326634
Oklahoma74924433
Indiana81420826
Wisconsin60520834
Kentucky82620024
Washington52118235
Arkansas60017128
Colorado54817332
New Jersey59015426
Maryland59115226
Minnesota45613530
Oregon41613633
Kansas38514538
Massachusetts36312434
West Virginia38012834
Nevada32410733
New Mexico36610529
Iowa4128922
Connecticut2648632
Montana2299140
Idaho2327834
Nebraska2085527
Wyoming1596742
Utah2754617
New Hampshire1394532
North Dakota1044746
Hawaii1074239
Delaware1214537
Maine1554328
South Dakota1193429
Rhode Island652538
Alaska622133
Vermont731216
Dist of Columbia34926
National37,26111,77332
Puerto Rico39913233

At Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C., we are Erie wrongful death lawyers who know that your loss cannot be measured by just a number. To schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Erie injury lawyers, call today toll free at 814-273-2010 or fill out the online form.