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Facts + Statistics: Alcohol-impaired driving

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Alcohol-impaired crashes are those that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal definition of impaired driving. According to the National Highway Traffic SafetyÌý Administration’s (NHTSA) , 13,524 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2022—a slight decrease of about 1 percent from 2021. Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities accounted for 32 percent of all crash fatalities.Ìý

According to the (IIHS) 49 states and the District of Columbia have per se laws making it a crime to drive with a BAC at or above 0.08 (Utah the threshold is a BAC of 0.05 percent or above). The (GHSA) has information on alcohol impaired driving state laws.

Total Traffic and Alcohol-Impaired Crash Fatalities, 1985-2022

Ìý

Ìý Ìý Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities (1)
Year Total traffic
fatalities		 Number As a percent of
all crash deaths
1985 43,825 18,125 41%
1990 44,599 17,705 40
1995 41,817 13,478 32
2000 41,945 13,324 32
2005 43,510 13,582 31
2010 32,999 10,136 31
2011 32,479 9,865 30
2012 33,782 10,336 31
2013 32,894 10,084 31
2014 32,744 9,943 30
2015 35,485 10,280 29
2016 37,806 10,967 29
2017 37,473 10,880 29
2018 36,835 10,710 29
2019 36,355 10,196 28
2020 39,007 11,727 30
2021 42,939 13,617 32
2022 42,514 13,524 32

(1) Alcohol-impaired driving crashes are crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal definition of alcohol-impaired driving in most states.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

View Archived Tables

Percent Of Drivers Involved In Fatal Crashes Impaired By Alcohol By Age, 2013 And 2022 (1)

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Age 2013 2022 Point change
15 to 20 17% 19% 2 pts
21 to 24 Ìý 32 29 -3
25 to 34 Ìý 30 28 -2
35 to 44 Ìý 24 24 0
45 to 54 Ìý 20 20 0
55 to 64 Ìý 14 17 3
65 to 74 Ìý 8 12 4
Over 74 Ìý 5 8 3

(1) Alcohol-impaired driving crashes are crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal definition of alcohol-impaired driving in most states.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

View Archived Tables

Persons Killed In Total And Alcohol-Impaired Crashes By Person Type, 2022

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Ìý Ìý Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities (1)
Person type Total killed Number Percent of
total killed
Vehicle occupants Ìý Ìý Ìý
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Driver 20,908 7,580 36%
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Passenger 6,393 2,144 34
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Unknown occupant 43 4 10
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Total 27,344 9,729 36%
Motorcyclists (2) 6,218 2,160 35%
Nonoccupants Ìý Ìý Ìý
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Pedestrian 7,522 1,394 19
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Pedalcyclist 1,105 177 16
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Other/unknown 325 64 20
ÌýÌýÌýÌý Total 8,952 1,635 18%
Total 42,514 13,524 32%

(1) Alcohol-impaired driving crashes are crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or greater, the legal definition of alcohol-impaired driving.
(2) Beginning in 2022, operators and passengers of motorized bicycles are captured as pedalcyclists when involved in a motor vehicle traffic crash.

Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

View Archived Tables

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