Drunk Driving Accident Stats

dram shop - drunk driving

Alcohol is a substance that causes impairment to the central nervous system. It affects brain activity, including reasoning and muscle coordination. As the level of alcohol in the bloodstream rises, so does the level of impairment. Drunk driving is a totally preventable malady that steals too many lives on the nation’s roadways, and that includes here in Oklahoma. The chances of being involved in an alcohol-related automobile crash is one in three over the course of a lifetime.

The Ugly Facts of Drunk Driving

Drunk driving affects victims of all ages, sexes and socioeconomic status. An impaired driver is literally piloting a missile among innocent victims while not in full control of his or her faculties. The following statistics are sad reminders that there are still some who gamble with others’ lives by driving while intoxicated.

  • Each day in the United States, 28 people die in crashes involving drunk drivers. 1 every 53 minutes.
  • The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes is estimated at more than $44 billion.
  • In 2014, 9,967 people in the United States suffered fatalities as a result of alcohol-impaired driving crashes. This was approximately one third of all traffic-related deaths.
  • Out of 1,070 traffic-related deaths of children aged 0-14 in 2014, 209 (19%) were caused by a drunk driver.
  • Of the 209 child passengers aged 0-14 killed in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2014, 116 (over half) were a passenger with a drunk driver.
  • In 2015, an estimated 10,265 people suffered fatalities in alcohol-related crashes, an increase of almost 300 over 2014.

Closer to Home

Here in Oklahoma, the problem of drunk driving also exists.

  • In 2015, there were 3,502 alcohol-related crashes in Oklahoma.
  • Out of the 3,502 alcohol-related crashes in Oklahoma in 2015, 161 included fatalities.
  • In 2015, May was the highest month for alcohol-related crashes (317); February was the lowest (257).
  • Out of the 3,502 alcohol-related crashes in Oklahoma in 2015, 1,454 resulted in severe but non-fatal injuries.

Drunk driving is a nationally-recognized problem. All 50 states, including Oklahoma, and the District of Columbia have strict laws prohibiting drunk driving. In Oklahoma, a driver is considered legally impaired if his or her blood alcohol level (BAC) is 0.08 or more at the time their blood or breath was tested, up to two hours after arrest. First offenders may serve 10 days to 1 year in jail and pay a fine of up to $1,000. Repeat offenders face substantially stiffer penalties.

If you were involved in an accident with a drunk driver in McAlester, Tulsa or elsewhere in eastern Oklahoma, the attorneys of Edwards and Patterson Law are your experienced legal advocates. We can leverage our knowledge and experience on your behalf to obtain the fairest possible ruling for you in the courts. Contact us today by phone at 877-403-8417 or by completing our online contact form. We will be glad to arrange a free consultation concerning your accident case. Delay only benefits the guilty. Contact us today to begin reviewing your case.

“We care. We fight. We win!” That’s more than just a slogan at Edwards & Patterson Law. Those simple words sum up our law firm’s mission and everything we do for our accident and personal injury clients.

“We care. We fight. We win!” That’s more than just a slogan at Edwards & Patterson Law. Those simple words sum up our law firm’s mission and everything we do for our accident and personal injury clients.