Driving Statistics at DrivingLinks.com • Telling Statistics about Drivers and Driving

Forty-one percent of 1,672 motorcycle operators who died in single-vehicle crashes in 2004 had BAC levels of .08 g/dl or higher.  Sixty percent of those killed in single-vehicle crashes on weekend nights had BAC levels of .08 g/dl or higher. (NHTSA, 2005 )

The majority of those who reported alcohol-related DUI in the 12 months prior to a national survey are not alcohol dependent or alcohol abusers. In 2000, 37% of the Blacks, 38% of the Hispanics, 29% of Whites, 44% of the Native Americans/Alaskan Natives, 39% of Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, 22% of the Asians and 28% of those of Mixed race who report committing DUI in the past year are alcohol abusers or dependent; all the others who drove under the influence are not. (Caetano and McGrath, 2005)

Beer is the drink of choice in most cases of heavy drinking, binge drinking, drunk driving and underage drinking. (Rogers and Greenfield, 1999)

There is evidence that heavier drinkers prefer to drink at bars and other person's homes, and at multiple locations requiring longer driver distances.  Young drivers have been found to prefer drinking at private parties, while older, more educated drivers prefer bars and taverns. (NHTSA, 2001) 

In 2004, 30 percent of all fatal crashes during the week were alcohol-related, compared to 51 percent on weekends. For all crashes, the alcohol involvement rate was 5 percent during the week and 12 percent during the weekend.  (NHTSA, 2005)

For fatal crashes occurring from midnight to 3:00 AM, 77 percent involved alcohol in 2003.  The next most dangerous time period for alcohol-related crash deaths were 9 PM to midnight (64 percent of fatal crashes involved alcohol), followed by 3 AM to 6 AM (60 percent of fatal crashes involved alcohol). (NHTSA, 2004) 

A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 72-proof distilled spirits, all of which contain the same amount of alcohol -- about .54 ounces. (NHTSA, 2002)

The speed of alcohol absorption affects the rate at which one becomes drunk.   Unlike foods, alcohol does not have to be slowly digested.  As a person drinks faster than the alcohol can be eliminated, the drug accumulates in the body, resulting in higher and higher levels of alcohol in the blood. (Narcotic Education Foundation of America, 2002)

The rate of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes is more than 3 times as high at night as during the day (60 percent vs. 18 percent). For all crashes, the alcohol involvement rate is 5 times as high at night (16 percent vs. 3 percent).  (NHTSA, 2005)

The average person metabolizes alcohol at the rate of about one drink per hour. Only time will sober a person up.   Drinking strong coffee, exercising or taking a cold shower will not help. (Michigan State University, 2002)

Impairment is not determined by the type of drink, but rather by the amount of alcohol ingested over a specific period of time.  (IIHS, June 2003)

The impact of alcohol involvement increases with injury severity.   Alcohol-involved crashes accounted for 10 percent of property damage only crash costs, 21 percent of nonfatal injury crashes; and 46 percent of fatal injury crash costs.  (NHTSA, 2002)

Alcohol-related fatalities are caused primarily by the consumption of beer (80 percent) followed by liquor/wine at 20 percent.  (Runge, 2002)

Beer is the drink most commonly consumed by people stopped for alcohol-impaired driving or involved in alcohol-related crashes. (IIHS, 2003)

Alcohol is society's legal, oldest and most popular drug.  (Narcotic Educational Foundation of America, 2002)

Alcohol is closely linked with violence.  About 40 percent of all crimes (violent and non-violent) are committed under the influence of alcohol.  (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1998)

 About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives.  (NHTSA, 2001)