Drunk Driving Statistics 2026

National Drunk Driving Fatality Trends Show Mixed Progress

Despite a decline in alcohol-related car crash fatalities between 2022 and 2023, the latest data available from the NHTSA shows that drunk-driving deaths have actually increased by about 25 percent over a decade-long period.

Fatalities from Alcohol-Impaired Car Crashes, 2014-2023

Source: NHTSA FARS 2014-2022 Final File, 2023 Annual Report File (ARF); VMT data from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

The pandemic appears to have accelerated dangerous driving behaviors, with fatalities jumping 15 percent from 2019 to 2020 alone. The number of drunk driving deaths peaked in 2021, but has started to decline again more recently.

Risk Patterns Reveal Critical Intervention Points

NHTSA's 2023 analysis reveals distinct patterns that could inform targeted prevention efforts:

• Nighttime driving poses triple the risk of drunk driving crashes: 30 percent of fatal crashes at night involve alcohol impairment, compared to just 10 percent  during daytime hours
• Single-vehicle crashes are twice as likely to involve alcohol: 32 percent of single-vehicle fatal crashes involved impairment, while just 14 percent of multi-vehicle crashes involved impairment.
• Weekend driving is significantly more dangerous: 28 percent of weekend fatal crashes involve impairment, compared to 15 percent on weekdays.

These patterns suggest that enforcement and prevention efforts could be more strategically deployed during high-risk periods and locations.

1,384 non-motorists — including pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users — were killed by drunk drivers in 2023, which highlights how alcohol-impaired driving creates risks for all types of travelers.

State-by-State Analysis: Geographic Disparities in Drunk Driving Deaths

Hawaii and Texas Lead Nation in Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes

The 2023 state-level data (released in 2025) reveal significant geographic disparities in drunk driving fatalities, with some states showing alcohol involvement in more than 40 percent of fatal crashes while others maintain rates below 25 percent.

2023 Drunk Driving Fatalities by State

Source: NHTSA FARS 2023 Annual Report File

These states had the highest percentage of fatal crashes involving a legally drunk driver:

• Hawaii
• Texas
• South Carolina
• Connecticut
• Iowa
• Ohio
• North Dakota
• Washington
• Massachusetts
• Montana

Hawaii stands out among the states, with 42 percent of all crash fatalities involving a legally drunk driver. This is even more notable considering the state's relatively low total of 93 traffic deaths. This suggests a concentrated problem with alcohol-impaired driving rather than overall road safety.

The presence of large states like Texas (1,699 deaths in alcohol-involved crashes) and Ohio (455 deaths) alongside smaller states like North Dakota (38 deaths) in this top-10 list demonstrates that high rates of drunk driving in fatal crashes transcend state size, population density, and geographic region, pointing to a widespread behavioral and enforcement challenge across diverse American communities.

When examining alcohol-involved crash fatalities per capita, different states emerge as the highest-risk areas, particularly rural states with higher crash rates overall. South Carolina had the highest rate of crash fatalities involving drivers with BAC over the legal limit, at 7.67 deaths per 100,000 people.

States with Highest Population-Adjusted Rate of Fatalities Involving Legally Impaired Drivers (BAC 0.08 or more)

Source: NHTSA FARS 2023 ARF, U.S. Census Bureau

Several states experienced alarming increases in drunk driving fatalities over the past decade, with some more than doubling their alcohol-related death tolls. The District of Columbia's staggering 180% increase in drunk driving deaths—from just 5 fatalities in 2014 to 14 in 2023—represents the nation's worst deterioration. However, the relatively small numbers reflect the city's limited driving population compared to states like Washington and Arizona, which saw their alcohol-related deaths more than double despite having much larger baseline fatality counts.

States with Highest Percent Increase in Drunk Driving Fatalities, 2014-2023

Source: NHTSA FARS 2014 Final File, 2023 Annual Report File

These dramatic increases across geographically diverse areas—from urban D.C. to rural Vermont to Western states like Washington and Oregon—suggest that the drunk driving crisis has intensified nationwide rather than being concentrated in specific regions or demographics.

DUI Arrest Patterns Reveal Enforcement Disparities

Nearly 805,000 Americans Arrested for DUI in 2024

According to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) estimates, law enforcement agencies arrested approximately 804,926 people suspected of driving under the influence in 2024, representing 11 percent of all arrests nationwide. This figure represents a significant enforcement effort, though it likely captures only a fraction of actual impaired driving incidents.

The wide variation in arrest percentages across states likely reflects differences in enforcement priorities, resources, and local policies rather than actual impairment rates. States like Mississippi and Minnesota show particularly high DUI arrest rates as a percentage of total arrests, suggesting intensive enforcement efforts.

State-by-State DUI Arrest Data (2024)

Source: FBI Crime in the United States, 2024 (Tables 29, 69)

Mississippi's 22.9 percent DUI arrest rate was the highest in the nation in 2023. In the southern state, nearly one in four arrests were for suspected drunk driving. This suggests that Mississippi either has an exceptionally aggressive enforcement strategy or a severe underlying impaired driving problem. The diverse geographic spread from rural Wyoming (16.0 percent) to populous California (15.3 percent) indicates that high DUI arrest rates aren't simply a function of state size or regional culture.

DUI Demographics and High-Risk Groups

Young Adults Continue to Drive Drunk at Alarming Rates

The 2023 demographic data reveals persistent patterns in drunk driving behavior, with young adults aged 21-34 continuing to represent the highest-risk group for both impaired driving and fatal crash involvement. This age group's combination of social drinking patterns, nightlife participation, and risk-taking behavior creates a deadly intersection on American roads.

Gender Disparities Remain Stark

Male drivers were involved in nearly 4 times more fatal drunk driving crashes than female drivers in 2023, with 9,155 men compared to 2,339 women involved in fatal alcohol-related incidents, according to NHTSA data. This 4:1 ratio has remained relatively consistent over the past decade, suggesting that targeted prevention efforts for young men could yield significant safety improvements.

Motorcyclists Face Elevated Risk

2% of impaired drivers in fatal crashes were operating motorcycles in 2023, a rate significantly higher than the general population of impaired drivers. This elevated risk reflects both the vulnerability of motorcycles in crashes and potential risk-taking behaviors among some motorcyclists.

Children Pay Ultimate Price for Adult Decisions

One of the most tragic aspects of drunk driving is its impact on children. In 2023, 25 percent of children under 14 killed in traffic crashes died in alcohol-related incidents, with approximately half of these young victims riding with the impaired driver. This statistic underscores how impaired driving decisions create risks not just for the driver but for the most vulnerable passengers.

Economic Impact of Drunk Driving

The economic costs of drunk driving extend far beyond the immediate loss of life. NHTSA estimates the total annual economic cost of drunk driving crashes at $58 billion, representing approximately 17 percent of the $340 billion total cost of all U.S. traffic crashes. However, this figure doesn't account for the full societal burden.

The estimated $58 billion in direct costs includes:

• Lost productivity from injuries and fatalities
• Workplace costs from employee absence
• Legal and court costs
• Medical costs
• Emergency medical services
• Insurance administration costs
• Congestion impacts from crash-related delays
• Property damage

For individuals arrested for DUI, the financial consequences can be devastating. Potentially, total costs for one DUI can range from $11,000 to $30,000 for serious or repeat offenses.

Estimated Individual Costs of DUI Arrest and Conviction

Sources: autoinsurance.com, Forbes.com, cobbdefense.com, interlock.com 

The insurance premium increases alone can cost thousands of dollars over several years, as DUI convictions typically remain on driving records for three years or longer, depending on state laws.

Legal Penalties for Driving Under the Influence

Legal consequences for driving under the influence vary by state, but they tend to fall into these categories:

• Driver’s license suspension
• Jail sentence
• Fines
• Mandatory alcohol education or rehabilitation
• Vehicle confiscation
• Ignition interlock device installation

Some states have far more severe legal penalties than others, and the consequences tend to get harsher with subsequent charges. According to FindLaw.com, these states have the highest fines and longest jail sentences for driving under the influence:

States with the Highest DUI Fines

• Oregon – Up to $125,000 (3rd offense).
• Illinois – Up to $25,000 (3rd offense).
• Alaska – Up to $25,000 (3rd offense).
• Massachusetts – Up to $15,000 (3rd offense).
• Texas – Up to $10,000 (3rd offense).
• Arizona, New York, D.C. – Up to $10,000 (3rd offense).

States with the Longest Jail Times

• Missouri – Up to 15 years (3rd offense).
• Indiana – Up to three years (2nd offense) and 10 years (3rd offense).
• Illinois – Up to seven years (3rd offense).
• New York – Up to seven years (3rd offense).
• Oregon – Minimum 90 days, but up to five years (3rd offense).
• Louisiana – Up to five years (3rd offense).
• Utah – Up to five years (3rd offense).

Statistics on Marijuana Use and Impaired Driving

When people hear “driving under the influence,” they usually think of alcohol first. But other substances like marijuana can also make you a dangerous driver. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, cannabis is actually the second most common substance involved in impaired driving cases, right after alcohol.

The same survey revealed that:

• About 12 million (4.7 percent) U.S. residents 16 years or older admitted to driving under the influence of marijuana in 12 months.
• 2.3 million (0.9 percent) reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs other than marijuana in a one-year period.

Another study from the NHTSA, conducted over 20 months in Virginia Beach, Virginia, found that marijuana users were about 25 percent more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers with no evidence of marijuana use.

Looking at FARS crash data from 2019 and 2020, researchers found that about one out of every three (33.4 percent) drivers who died in accidents had cannabis in their system. What's particularly interesting is that drivers in states where recreational marijuana is legal were much more likely to test positive for cannabis than drivers in states where it's still illegal.