1999 DWI Statistics according to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Total traffic fatalities: 41, 611
Total alcohol-related traffic fatalities:
15, 786
Percentage of total traffic fatalities that
are alcohol-related: 38%
General DWI Statistics
Alcohol involvement remains the leading factor
in motor vehicle deaths.
Only 7% of all crashes involve alcohol use,
but nearly 39% of fatal crashes do.
Traffic crashes are the greatest single cause
of death for every age from 6 through 33. Almost half of these fatalities
are in alcohol-related crashes.
In single-vehicle fatal crashes occurring
on weekend nights in 1998, 72.3% of the fatally injured drivers 25 years
old or older were intoxicated.
It is estimated that 2.6 million drunk driving
crashes each year victimize 4 million innocent people who are injured or
have their vehicles damaged.
In 1993, one in 100 drivers had a BAC (Blood
Alcohol Concentration) of .10 or greater. About 16 billion miles were driven
drunk.
General DWI Arrest Statistics
In 1997, 1.4 million people were arrested
in the U.S. for driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated
(DWI)...more than all other reported criminal offenses except larceny and
theft.
In 1997, an estimated 513,200 offenders were
on probation or in jail or prison for driving while intoxicated.
Approximately one-third of all drivers arrested
for DWI are repeat offenders.
In 1998, one out of nine intoxicated drivers
in fatal crashes have had a prior DWI conviction within the past three
years.
Youth arrests for DWI increased significantly
from 1984 to 1993 by 50.2%.
