CDC Counts 112 Million Drunk Driving Episodes in 2010

Last year, more than 1.4 million Americans were arrested for driving while impaired by alcohol. However, this is only a fraction of the adults who drove drunk that year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released the results of a nationwide survey on alcohol-impaired driving. The study found that 4 million adults drove while intoxicated in 2010. These 4 million drivers were responsible for 112 million separate drunk driving incidents in which the driver had a blood alcohol concentration greater than .08.

Number of drunk drivers in the U.S.: Four million
Number of DWI/DUI arrests: 1.4 million
Number of drunk driving episodes: 112 million
Rate of drunk driving episodes: 479 per 1,000 population
Number of alcohol-related accident deaths: Almost 11,000

These numbers are shocking, yet drunk driving deaths have been declining since 2006. In 2006, 13,491 Americans lost their lives in crashes caused by alcohol-impaired drivers. In 2009, the number of alcohol-related crash deaths decreased to 10,839. Nearly one-third of all fatal crashes are caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol.

Behind every DUI death statistic is a real person who was loved by family and friends. If you've lost a loved one to a drunk driving car crash in Georgia, your loss is more than a number. Atlanta DUI injury lawyer Shane Smith would like to help you get accountability for your loss. To learn more about Georgia DUI injury law, contact Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656.