DRINKING AND DRIVING: STATE ESTIMATES

Volume 29, Issue 517 June 9, 2008

Matthew Gever

A new national survey reveals that 15.1 percent of the nation’s drivers ages 18 and older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once last year. The survey also shows that 6 percent to 7 percent of adults in several states and the District of Columbia drove under the influence of illicit drugs at least once in 2007.

Percentages of persons driving under the influence of alcohol ranged from a low of 9.5 percent in Utah, to highs of 26.4 percent in Wisconsin, 24.9 percent in North Dakota and 23.5 percent in Minnesota.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 16,700 deaths in 2004 were caused by accidents related to driving under the influence of alcohol, making it one of the largest causes of preventable deaths in the nation.

State Estimates of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Illicit Drugs in the Past Year among Current Drivers Aged 18 or Older: Average of 2004-2006

Driving Under Influence of Alcohol

Driving Under Influence of Illicit Drugs

State

Percent

SE (%)*

State

Percent

SE (%)*

Wisconsin

26.4

1.52

District of Columbia

7.0

0.88

North Dakota

24.9

1.35

Rhode Island

6.8

0.79

Minnesota

23.5

1.35

Massachusetts

6.4

0.70

Nebraska

22.9

1.29

Montana

6.3

0.61

South Dakota

21.6

1.25

Wyoming

6.2

0.67

Kansas

21.1

1.45

Alaska

5.9

0.62

Massachusetts

20.5

1.27

Colorado

5.8

0.78

Rhode Island

20.4

1.44

Minnesota

5.7

0.74

Montana

20.3

1.32

Michigan

5.7

0.33

District of Columbia

19.1

1.14

Vermont

5.6

0.63

Michigan

18.4

0.63

Nevada

5.6

0.71

Wyoming

18.3

1.26

Tennessee

5.6

0.63

Missouri

18.0

1.03

New Mexico

5.5

0.75

Iowa

17.6

1.23

Hawaii

5.5

0.80

Hawaii

17.4

1.30

New Hampshire

5.4

0.61

Connecticut

17.2

1.44

Arkansas

5.4

0.61

Colorado

17.0

1.26

California

5.3

0.33

New Hampshire

16.7

1.14

Wisconsin

5.3

0.60

Illinois

16.5

0.59

Connecticut

5.2

0.67

Vermont

16.4

1.20

Missouri

5.1

0.64

Louisiana

16.0

0.96

Maine

5.0

0.67

Nevada

15.9

1.33

Washington

5.0

0.58

Oregon

15.9

1.07

Delaware

4.8

0.60

Texas

15.7

0.63

Ohio

4.8

0.28

Ohio

15.7

0.61

Pennsylvania

4.7

0.33

Indiana

15.2

1.33

Virginia

4.7

0.66

Arizona

14.9

1.15

Utah

4.7

0.54

Pennsylvania

14.8

0.54

Florida

4.7

0.30

South Carolina

14.7

1.17

Oklahoma

4.7

0.63

Maryland

14.7

1.10

Louisiana

4.7

0.53

Washington

13.8

1.26

Kansas

4.6

0.54

California

13.8

0.59

Indiana

4.5

0.52

Delaware

13.7

0.99

Georgia

4.5

0.66

Oklahoma

13.7

1.15

South Carolina

4.5

0.54

Alaska

13.7

1.13

Mississippi

4.4

0.59

Idaho

13.6

0.99

North Carolina

4.4

0.54

Virginia

13.6

1.15

Oregon

4.3

0.55

New Mexico

13.5

1.13

Illinois

4.3

0.26

Georgia

13.5

1.32

West Virginia

4.2

0.57

Florida

13.5

0.58

New York

4.1

0.29

New York

13.0

0.60

Idaho

4.1

0.57

Maine

12.4

0.98

Texas

4.1

0.25

Tennessee

12.4

1.12

Nebraska

3.9

0.48

Mississippi

11.9

1.05

Iowa

3.9

0.48

Alabama

11.4

0.97

Maryland

3.7

0.49

New Jersey

11.3

1.12

Arizona

3.7

0.49

Arkansas

10.8

0.92

Kentucky

3.6

0.51

Kentucky

10.4

1.07

North Dakota

3.5

0.40

North Carolina

10.4

1.04

South Dakota

3.5

0.39

West Virginia

10.1

0.96

Alabama

3.4

0.43

Utah

9.5

1.00

New Jersey

3.2

0.54

* The standard error (SE) is a measure of these sampling variability of an estimate, where smaller values represent greater precision and larger values represent less precision.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004-2006