According to initial estimates released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in April 2023, there will be an estimated 42,795 people killed in car accidents in 2022, a decrease of 0.3% from the previous year. Although the decline in accident-related deaths is generally positive, even for such a small number of accidents, serious concerns remain. The number of accident-related deaths increased by more than 10% in 2021 and by more than 7% the year before, which is alarming. This trend has led to and persists throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, the most recent full year of traffic fatality data available, the number of drunk driving deaths increased by 14% compared to 2020. Citing NHTSA data, Monge and Associates identified states with the highest death rates from car crashes involving at least one drunk driver. . States are ranked by the number of drunk driving deaths per 100,000 residents. Although the tax rates are listed to one decimal place, the exact ranking of states was determined from the calculation of the total tax rate, and there were no ties.
A person is considered impaired if their blood alcohol level is 0.08 or higher. As your BAC level increases, your judgment and driving ability continue to deteriorate. In subsequent years, he succeeded in reducing the rate of DUI-related motor vehicle fatalities through laws adopted in most parts of the United States from 1982 to 1997.
Alternative transportation programs have also shown some promise in deterring drunk driving. A recent study suggests that even in areas lacking strong transportation options, alternatives such as ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft can reduce drunk-driving crashes.
Keep reading to find out what percentage of car accident deaths in Rhode Island involve drunk driving and how that compares to 49 other states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. Click here to see the rankings for all 52 states and territories.
Rhode Island by the numbers
6th place lowest
– Number of drunk driving deaths per 100,000 residents: 2.2 people (24 people, 39% of all car accident deaths)
– Number of deaths caused by drivers with a BAC of 0.15 or higher: 1.6 per 100,000 people (75% of all drunk driving deaths, 18 people)
– Trend in the number of drunk driving fatalities since 2012: 14.3% decrease
To see DUI statistics for other states in your area, continue below.
Connecticut by the numbers
#11 Bottom
– Number of deaths due to drunk driving per 100,000 inhabitants: 3.1 people (112 people, 38% of all traffic fatalities)
– Number of deaths caused by drivers with a BAC of 0.15 or higher: 2.0 per 100,000 people (65.2% of all drunk driving deaths, 73 people)
– Trend in the number of drunk driving fatalities since 2012: 12% increase
Massachusetts by the numbers
5th place lowest
– Number of deaths due to drunk driving per 100,000 inhabitants: 2.1 people (150 people, 36% of all car accident fatalities)
– Number of deaths caused by drivers with a BAC of 0.15 or higher: 1.4 per 100,000 people (63.3% of all drunk driving deaths, 95 people)
– Trend in the number of drunk driving fatalities since 2012: 16.3% increase
This story originally appeared on Monge and Associates and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.