Drinking and driving statistics
During Prom Promise Week, many area schools utilize facts listed on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving website to provide students and their family members with real statistics regarding the dangers of underage drinking and driving. Driving under the influence of alcohol was associated with age in 2010. Some facts from the website are:
- Every day in America, another 27 people die as a result of drunk driving crashes. - In 2011, 9,878 people died in drunk driving crashes. That is one person every 53 minutes.- The rate was highest among persons aged 21 to 25 (23.4 percent). An estimated 5.8 percent of 16 or 17 year olds and 15.1 percent of 18 to 20 year olds reported driving under the influence of alcohol in the past year. Beyond age 25, these rates showed a general decline with increasing age.- In fatal crashes in 2010, the highest percentage of drunk drivers was for drivers ages 21 to 24 (34 percent), followed by ages 25 to 34 (30 percent) and 35 to 44 (25 percent).- In 2010, 211 children were killed in drunk driving crashes. Out of those 211 deaths, 131 (62 percent) were riding with the drunk driver.- Alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2010 was four times higher at night than during the day (37 versus 9 percent).- High school students who use alcohol or other substances are five times more likely to drop out of school or believe good grades are not important.- Kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash.- Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and about one-third of those are alcohol related.- Teen alcohol use kills about 6000 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.- Almost one in three 8th graders has tried alcohol.- Almost every 90 seconds, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash.- An average drunk driver, no matter his/her age, has driven drunk 80 times before first arrest.- One in five teens binge drink. Only 1 in 100 parents believes his or her teen binge drinks.For more information or statistics, go to