30M Americans Drive Drunk on Average Annually

With the holidays underway and numerous nights of alcohol-filled parties, there is a risk of more drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol taking to the streets. According to a new survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), over the course of an average year, 30 million Americans drive drunk, while 10 million drive under the influence of drugs.

The rates of driving under the influence varied significantly among the states, with some topping 20 percent, like Wisconsin (23.7 percent) and North Dakota (22.4 percent). Rhode Island (7.8 percent) and Vermont (6.6 percent) led the way for highest rates of driving under the influence of drugs.

The lowest rates of drunk driving took place in Utah (7.4 percent) and Mississippi (8.7 percent). Iowa and New Jersey had the lowest levels of drugged driving in the past year (2.9 percent and 3.2 percent respectively).

Information on Public Health Risks of Alcohol Misuse

Drivers from 16-25 drove drunk more often than those 26 or older (19.5 percent versus 11.8 percent). Younger people also drove while under the influence of illicit drugs more (11.4 percent versus 2.8 percent).

Overall, there has been a reduction of drunk and drugged driving in the past few years. Survey data from 2002 through 2005 combined when compared to data gathered from 2006 to 2009 combined indicate that the average yearly rate of drunk driving has declined from 14.6 percent to 13.2 percent, while the average yearly rate of drugged driving has decreased from 4.8 percent to 4.3 percent. Twelve states experienced declines in drunk driving rates, while seven had lower rates of driving while drugged.

"Thousands of people die each year as a result of drunk and drugged driving, and the lives of thousands of family members and friends left behind are forever scarred," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. "Some progress has been made in reducing the levels of drunk and drugged driving through education, enhanced law enforcement and public outreach efforts. However, the nation must continue to work to prevent this menace and confront these dangerous drivers in an aggressive way."

So this holiday season make sure to not drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol and to make use of designated drivers.

[ouchitatom]

You gain a tolerance to drugs you don't alcohol. I take 60 mgs of morphine every am. 60mg in the evening. I drive work with nachinery and yes even hunt and fish. The time it takes to build a tolerance to 60mgs of morphine is about a year. I don't reccomend you try it before you build a tolerance.Some days I have to wait for the medicine to peak before I even think about driving. Personally I don't concern myself with hurting myself however if I were to kill someones child I would have to gun myself . I served time in the service and have taken life> I could not go on with myself knowing it was my fault. READ THE LABELS ON THE MEDICINE BOTTLES THEY ARE THERE FOR A BIG REASON.

[tiktin]

That's funny. I've been driving for sixty years and I don't recall ever seeing a drunk driver.

[formrusmcsgt]

Not to make light of the causilties and the suffering caused for their families, but I do have a joke on the topic, if you'll indulge me:

A cop is waiting a few blocks away from a bar at closing time.

A man comes out of the bar, starts his car and drives toward the cop. As he does so, he's weaving back and forth against the lane edges and the cop lights him up and pulls him over.

The cop administers a field sobriety test which the man passes with flying colors.

The befuddled cop says "I don't understand. You were weaving like crazy but you're sober".

The man responds, "No mystery officer, I'm the designated decoy".

[Samuel-HiLL]

I drive better while texting and drunk than most people do sober.

[formrusmcsgt]

I hear a loud screech and impact coming......

[amerilatino]

When I was much younger, I would drive up to patron saint festivals and fairs in the rural highlands of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. I would invariably end up driving back down winding, dark mountain roads in the wee hours of the morning, oftentimes with a female passenger who was just as drunk as I was, trying to find somewhere to eat on the way back down. I did it so often that I SWORE that my SUV knew it's way back home on it's own. Quite some time before I came back to the states, I took a personal vow not to ever drive drunk again, as the casualty rate for this had been shown to have increased markedly. When I did come back to the states, guess what the first auto accident that I was involved in consisted of? Some brain-dead tween hippie chick sideswiped my just-purchased Lexus because she suddenly decided on a NASCAR style lane-change while dialing a number on her cell phone that her lazy boyfriend was giving her. I know because she completely ignored my honking horn while she was doing it, so don't insult my intelligence by telling me that anything you do that's grossly distracting while driving isn't just as dangerous as being drunk.

[tsigili]

A like number, are also driving under the influence of drugs, as well.

[davefromdayton]

Which is mentioned in the article, nice reading comprehension.

[mitch0927]

One thing I am sick of are these losers who keep comparing the texting and driving with drunk driving. Yes, it is unsafe and yes it can cause accidents. But it doesn't cause near the accidents and deaths as drunk drivers do. I was busted with for a DUI and I was drunk. I shouldn't have done what I did and I am ashamed of it every day of my life until I am dead and buried. I don't preach to anyone about drinking and driving, I do something about it. I have a standing offer to anyone that knows me that if they call me to get a ride because they have had too much to drink, no matter what time it is.

I have been called upon several times since I made that offer and it makes me feel good that not only I am doing something right, so is the person who calls me. If you have a party at your house and there is alcohol and you allow someone to drive home, you are just as guilty as the person doing the driving. I have no excuse for what I did, except the fact I was STOOOOPID for doing it. We as a nation need to stop always thinking about ourselves and start thinking about our fellow human beings and start taking care of each other. Texting and driving is BAD, but drinking and driving is worse. And all you a$$holes who keep comparing them together are the first to lose someone they love to a drunk driver....

[formrusmcsgt]

You were doing well until the last line.

Then your argument fell apart.

[cepe10-2009]

And just as many text and drive which is even worse in terms of reaction times and is just as illegal yet our officers of the court let them do it

[nomossonmyrocks]

I believe that 30 million is a very conservative number. I believe that number could be reached on any one weekend this time of year.

[Birdman04]

If you drink and drive you are the lowest form of bottom dwelling life.
Make all the excuses you want and blame anyone you choose. Don't change the fact you are a worthless loser and an accident waiting to happen who will change their story when it is their child that dies by the hands of a coward who drinks and drives.

[cepe10-2009]

LOL yet you allow texting and driving along with our morally corrupt police officers and MADD which is far more dangerous and just as illegal, talk about hypocrites.