Drinking and Driving

2010 Statistics

• Car accidents are the leading cause of death for American teenagers.

• Approximately one-third to one-half of those accidents are alcohol-related.

• Over 2,000 young people die every year in alcohol-related car crashes.

• 18% of the drivers involved in fatal alcohol-related accidents were 16 – 20 year olds.

• 24 – 28 year olds accounted for 34% (the highest percentage), of drivers involved in fatal alcohol-related accidents.

2010 Statistics

• 30% of the young drivers (15 to 20 years old) who were killed in crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01 or higher.

• 25% of those young drivers had an .08 BAC.

StatisticsSince 2001, there has been a decrease in deaths

for alcohol-related car accidents.

2001 - 17,448

2008 - 11,071

2009 - 10,759

2010 - 10,228

The cumulative estimated number of lives saved by Minimum Drinking Age Laws: 28,230 lives since 1975.

Drinking and Driving Statistics

• Alcohol-related car accidents account for 32% of the deaths in car crashes.

• Every day, 32 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.

• In 2010, one person was killed every 51 minutes in a alcohol-related car accident.

Young Drivers Fatally Injured

by Age and Percent

With BAC = .01 or Higher, 2010Age Number of Drivers Percent with BAC

over .01

15 48 15%

16 172 15%

17 283 21%

18 480 26%

19 495 36%

20 485 40%

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811622.pdf

Total young drivers killed = 1,025 in 2010.

Drugged Driving

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than10,000 people are killed annually due to drunk and drugged driving.

• NHTSA estimates that drugs are used by approximately 10% to 22% of drivers involved in crashes, often in combination with alcohol.

Drugged Driving

• According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated

10.5 million people over the age of 12 reported driving under the influence of an illicit drug during the year prior to being surveyed.

Source: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/drugged-driving

•Vision: Alcohol relaxes eye muscles, which make it harder to focus and see clearly. Blurred vision is often a result of drinking alcohol.

•Reaction Time: Drinking alcohol slows down reaction time.

How would that affect a person’s driving ability?

Alcohol Effects

•Coordination: Drinking alcohol affects a person’s ability to do motor skills, such as catching a ball or walking in a straight line.

Is coordination required

to drive a car safely?

Alcohol Effects