Drunk driving accounts for nearly one in three vehicular fatalities in the U.S., with a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher legally classifying drivers as impaired. Although there has been a decline in alcohol-related accidents in recent years, approximately 88,000 deaths annually are attributed to alcohol use, making it the third leading preventable cause of death in the country. In Utah, out of 259 drivers in fatal crashes, only a minority tested above the legal BAC limit, highlighting a significant issue that persists despite declining trends.

1. Drunk Driving Accidents
in the U.S.
Kelly & Bramwell, P.C.
11576 South State Street, Bldg. 1002 Draper Utah 84020
(801) 495-2559

2. Nearly one in three deaths caused by vehicular accidents in America implicates a driver with
a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of at least 0.08 percent. The law recognizes drivers
with 0.08 percent or higher BAC as compromised by alcohol.
The more recent years witnessed a decline in alcohol-associated accidents and drunk
driving incidents. In 2012, however, identified drunk drivers logged road trips totaling
nearly 121 million times.
Prevalence of Alcohol Use in America
The 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) discovered that 86.4 percent
of individuals aged 18 and above have, at one point in their lives, engaged in drinking
alcohol. Moreover, 70.1 percent of them said that they drank in the past year, while 56
percent said they drank a month before.

3. In the same year, 26.9 percent of individuals aged 18 and above engaged in binge drinking
in the month prior to the survey. Furthermore, 7 percent of them recounted that they were
involved in heavy alcohol drinking in the last month.
Alcohol-Related Fatalities in America and Utah
Nearly 88,000 individuals or around 26,000 women and 62,000 men die due to alcohol-
associated causes yearly. This makes alcohol the third primary avoidable cause of death in
America.
The 2015 statistics of the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Highway Safety Office
revealed that 259 drivers implicated in a deadly crash had alcohol in their system. Out of all
of them, 31 showed more than the allowed BAC limit, while 23 had twice the permitted
maximum of 0.08 percent. The 221 individuals left, which is the vast majority, did not have
detectable levels of alcohol in them.
Despite the declining rate of drunk driving fatalities over the years, it is still a major issue
that needs to be addressed.

4. Sources:
https://www.kellybramwell.com
https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/states.html
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-
and-statistics
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676230/Utah-drivers-in-most-DUI-fatals-test-
well-above-08.html