Alcohol-impaired driving is among the most common contributors to motor vehicle crashes in the United States. In 2003, 17,013 individuals were killed in a motor vehicle crash in which the driver or other participant had a positive blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and 15,630 of those were above 0.08 percent, which is the legal limit for drivers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The 17,013 alcohol-related fatalities represent 40 percent of the 42,643 motor vehicle fatalities that occurred in 2003. Alcohol-related crashes are estimated to cost the public more than $50 billion yearly. Although hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent during the past two decades on efforts to reduce alcohol-impaired driving, the problem has proved frustratingly resistant to change. There were marked declines in alcohol-related crash fatalities from the mid -1980s to the early 1990s; however, there has been little change since that time. Between 1994 and 2003, alcohol-related traffic fatalities have hovered between 16,500 and 17,500 a year. Although additional progress will be difficult, states can do much to further reduce the size of this problem.


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    Title :

    Guidance for Implementation of the AASHTO Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Volume 16: A Guide for Reducing Alcohol-Related Collisions


    Contributors:
    A. Goodwin (author) / R. Foss (author) / J. Hedlund (author) / J. Sohn (author) / R. Pfefer (author)

    Publication date :

    2005


    Size :

    116 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English