Alcohol-impaired crashes are those that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal definition of impaired driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) , 12,429 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2023 — a decrease of about 8 percent from 2022. Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities accounted for 30 percent of all crash fatalities.
According to the (IIHS) 49 states and the District of Columbia have per se laws making it a crime to drive with a BAC at or above 0.08 (Utah the threshold is a BAC of 0.05 percent or above). The (GHSA) has information on alcohol impaired driving state laws.
Total Traffic and Alcohol-Impaired Crash Fatalities, 1985-2023
| |
|
Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities (1) |
| Year |
Total traffic
fatalities |
Number |
As a percent of
all crash deaths |
| 1985 |
43,825 |
18,125 |
41% |
| 1990 |
44,599 |
17,705 |
40 |
| 1995 |
41,817 |
13,478 |
32 |
| 2000 |
41,945 |
13,324 |
32 |
| 2005 |
43,510 |
13,582 |
31 |
| 2010 |
32,999 |
10,136 |
31 |
| 2011 |
32,479 |
9,865 |
30 |
| 2012 |
33,782 |
10,336 |
31 |
| 2013 |
32,894 |
10,084 |
31 |
| 2014 |
32,744 |
9,943 |
30 |
| 2015 |
35,485 |
10,280 |
29 |
| 2016 |
37,806 |
10,967 |
29 |
| 2017 |
37,473 |
10,880 |
29 |
| 2018 |
36,835 |
10,710 |
29 |
| 2019 |
36,355 |
10,196 |
28 |
| 2020 |
39,007 |
11,727 |
30 |
| 2021 |
42,939 |
13,617 |
32 |
| 2022 |
42,514 |
13,524 |
32 |
| 2023 |
40,901 |
12,429 |
30 |
(1) Alcohol-impaired driving crashes are crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal definition of alcohol-impaired driving in most states.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Percent Of Drivers Involved In Fatal Crashes Impaired By Alcohol By Age, 2014 And 2023 (1)
| Age |
2014 |
2023 |
Point change |
| 15 to 20 |
17% |
20% |
3 pts |
| 21 to 24 |
30 |
28 |
-2 |
| 25 to 34 |
29 |
26 |
-3 |
| 35 to 44 |
24 |
23 |
-1 |
| 45 to 54 |
20 |
19 |
-1 |
| 55 to 64 |
16 |
16 |
0 |
| 65 to 74 |
10 |
12 |
2 |
| Over 74 |
5 |
8 |
3 |
(1) Alcohol-impaired driving crashes are crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal definition of alcohol-impaired driving in most states.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Persons Killed In Total And Alcohol-Impaired Crashes By Person Type, 2023
| |
|
Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities (1) |
| Person type |
Total killed |
Number |
Percent of
total killed |
| Vehicle occupants |
|
|
|
| Driver |
19,553 |
7,017 |
36% |
| Passenger |
6,164 |
2,030 |
33 |
| Unknown occupant |
29 |
0 |
1 |
| Total |
25,746 |
9,047 |
35% |
| Motorcyclists (2) |
6,335 |
1,999 |
32% |
| Nonoccupants |
|
|
|
| Pedestrian |
7,314 |
1,157 |
16 |
| Pedalcyclist |
1,166 |
163 |
14 |
| Other/unknown |
340 |
63 |
19 |
| Total |
8,820 |
1,384 |
16% |
| Total |
40,901 |
12,429 |
30% |
(1) Alcohol-impaired driving crashes are crashes that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or greater, the legal definition of alcohol-impaired driving.
(2) Beginning in 2022, operators and passengers of motorized bicycles are captured as pedalcyclists when involved in a motor vehicle traffic crash.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
