According to the Center For Disease Control in 2011 just under 30 million drunk people got behind the wheel on America's highways. This means that 11.1% of the nation older than 12 drank and drove. This percentage is a slight decrease from the 14.2 percent reported in 2002. Statistics show that every day, approximately 300,000 drunk drivers travel the roadways.

1. Some Surprising Facts About the Continued Prevalence of
Drinking and Driving
The past few decades have seen the advent
of anti-drinking and driving organizations,
such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD), aimed at educating society about
the dangers of mixing alcohol with a gas
pedal. While statistics indicate the prevalence
of drinking and driving is lower than it has
been in years gone by, the problem still
exists.
Just under 30 million drunk people got
behind the wheel of a vehicle on American
roadways in 2011 according to the Center For Disease Control. This means that 11.1
percent of the nation older than 12 drank and drove. This percentage is a slight
decrease from the 14.2 percent reported in 2002. Statistics show that every day,
approximately 300,000 drunk drivers travel the roadways.
Deaths caused by drinking and driving continue to be problematic for American
society. More than 10,000 people died unnecessarily in traffic wrecks related to
alcohol in 2010, and over 200 of those killed were kids under the age of 14. Of all the
children killed in alcohol related traffic wrecks, more than half were riding with the
drunk driver when they died. In approximately 18 percent of substance abuse traffic
deaths, alcohol was mixed with whatever drug the driver ingested before getting on
the road, according to the CDC.
In the effort to curb drunk driving accidents and deaths, states across the country
have implemented progressively stricter laws, restrictions and punishments regarding
drinking and driving. While the fees, fines, jail sentences and other incentives not to
drink and drive continue to climb, it doesn't seem to be enough to eradicate the
problem entirely. According to the Institute of Drug Abuse, more than 1.2 million
drivers found themselves handcuffed and charged with Driving Under the Influence in
2011. Men are twice as likely to drink and drive according to the report, with 15.1
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2. percent of males admitting to being inclined to do so compared to the 7.9 percent of
their female counterparts. If we were to send every person who admitted to driving
while drunk to a specifically dedicated land as its own state, it would be the fifth
largest state in the nation.
If you think this will not affect you because you never drink and drive, think again.
United States residents have a one in three chance of being involved in an alcohol
related traffic wreck during their lifetime.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports that law enforcement
statistics may under-represent the number of traffic wrecks actually related to drunk
drivers. According to the NTSB the actual number of alcohol-related traffic deaths or
serious injuries is as high as 22.6 percent of all wrecks. This is significantly higher
than the 14.4 percent that the national law enforcement records report.
Of all crashes, alcohol-related ones are some of the most preventable. These
statistics are easily within our power as a nation to change, and we can eradicate
drunk driving crashes completely, if we want to. Through a combination of civil and
criminal law enforcement, and education, we are starting to see the results. As a
society we have begun to change the culture of drinking and driving in our
communities.
However, as the statistics show, there is more work to be done. For adults, it begins
with each of us making a personal commitment to never drink and drive a motor
vehicle. And beyond that, we owe it to young people to be role models of the
conduct we expect from them. Drawing a line for your child by making clear that
underage drinking is never acceptable is one of the most powerful tools in a parent’s
arsenal to keep them alive. And beyond that, leading by example with your own
conduct demonstrates consistency, and empowers our young adults to help us
improve these statistics in generations to come.
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