Drunken driving deaths up in 22 states

[OGShocker]

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Drunken driving fatalities increased in 22 states in 2006 and fell in 28 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, federal transportation officials said Monday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data showing there were 13,470 deaths in 2006 involving drivers and motorcycle operators with blood alcohol levels of .08 or higher, which is the legal limit for adults throughout the country. The number was down slightly from 2005, when 13,582 people died in crashes involving legally drunk drivers.
The overall number of deaths involving drivers and motorcycle operators with any amount of alcohol in their blood was 17,602 last year. That was up from 17,590 in 2005, according to spokeswoman Heather Ann Hopkins.
"The number of people who died on the nation's roads actually fell last year," U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said at a news conference in this Washington suburb. "However the trend did not extend to alcohol-related crashes."
Transportation officials announced the new figures as they unveiled a $11 million nationwide advertising campaign as part of a Labor Day weekend campaign "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest."
"This crackdown is very, very, very important because it's the penalties that are imposed when someone chooses to ignore the law that really have the ability to make changes," Peters said.
Among states, Arizona, Kansas and Texas had the greatest increases in number of drunken driving deaths last year. But Utah, Kansas and Iowa had the largest percentage increases compared with 2005. Texas had the largest actual number drunken driving deaths with a total of 1,354.
Florida, Missouri and Pennsylvania had the greatest decreases in numbers of drunken driving deaths last year, while the District of Columbia, Alaska and Delaware had the largest percentage decreases compared with 2005. The District of Columbia had the smallest actual number of drunken driving deaths with a total of 12.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Tom Brown]

Oh well. Easy come, easy go. :D

[phebus]

I would love to see the statistics on innocent victims vs. drunk driver deaths. During my carreer as a firefighter medic, it seemed like when there were multiple vehicles involved, the drunk always fared better. Then of course there were the single vehicle drunk accidents that the drunk just took themselves out.

[Sleek-Jet]

I don't understand... we just lowered the limit to .08... how can there be more accidents now than before??? :idea:

[RiverToysJas]

It's up by 12 whole people?
That's less than 1%! Or about .08%, which ironically is the Federal Law now! LOL
RTJas :D

[Tom Brown]

The province I live in has a significant rural population. More and more, people are moving to the two main cities or out of the province (our population is shrinking) but we still have something like 40% of our population on farms or extremely small towns.
Every small town, or almost every small town, has a hotel. In that hotel, there is a bar. The bar and drinking is the only form entertainment for a lot of people.
I believe we are just ahead of Nova Scotia for the #1 spot on the Canadian alcoholism by population chart. Welcome to RDville.
There are a few dozen snowmobiling deaths every year and yet there aren't that many snowmobiles. I would guess 75% of sledders are drunk, on any given day. Every newspaper story I've ever read about a snowmobile death involves drinking. I've been on snowmobile poker runs where a few of the guys had to be helped onto their sleds.
Almost everyone here has lost either a family member or close friend to drinking and driving some type of motor vehicle.
I have a few friends who, like me, don't drink at all. We aren't reformed alcoholics, we simply chose not to drink. This choice is often triggered by the loss of someone close.
Far more often, however, surviving family members and friends drink even more after losing someone. I suppose that's understandable.
I've thought long about this and haven't come up with too many conclusions. A couple of things seem clear, though. People will drink and drive regardless of laws or consequences. There are people, few as they may be, but still... there are people who would get in their car and drive even if they knew there was a 100% chance of being caught and jailed.
With less than a million people in a province that's almost as big as Texas, you can drive drunk here every day in some areas and never get caught. Many do.
I wish I had a more positive view of the situation but, from what I can tell, people are going to drink and drive and there's nothing that can stop it.
Cheers :)

[ratso]

Damn, they better change it to .04 now...:D

[Boatcop]

Considering the population has probably increased by more than that rate, it's actually down. :D
I would like to see population and/or miles driven figured into that report. Raw numbers are misleading.

[sorry dog]

I would like to see population and/or miles driven figured into that report. Raw numbers are misleading.
...and refined numbers are usally even more misleading.
In fact... 86% of statistics are bullshit. :D

[blown65]

They were probably unexperienced drunk drivers, we all know the experienced drunk drivers don't cause wrecks. :D

[Moneypitt]

I would like to see population and/or miles driven figured into that report. Raw numbers are misleading.
And Alan, just for truth in numbers, how about the overall deaths...Non alcohol related/alcohol related....Innocent victims, (one is too many) vs dead drunk drivers, innocent victims vs dead sober drivers... Single vehicle, drunk vs single vehicle, sober.........At least these stats use .08 as a deciding factor if alcohol was involved, where some of them use any alcohol at all...Just the facts mam', just the facts.........MP

[Sleek-Jet]

The province I live in has a significant rural population. More and more, people are moving to the two main cities or out of the province (our population is shrinking) but we still have something like 40% of our population on farms or extremely small towns.
Every small town, or almost every small town, has a hotel. In that hotel, there is a bar. The bar and drinking is the only form entertainment for a lot of people.
I believe we are just ahead of Nova Scotia for the #1 spot on the Canadian alcoholism by population chart. Welcome to RDville.
There are a few dozen snowmobiling deaths every year and yet there aren't that many snowmobiles. I would guess 75% of sledders are drunk, on any given day. Every newspaper story I've ever read about a snowmobile death involves drinking. I've been on snowmobile poker runs where a few of the guys had to be helped onto their sleds.
Almost everyone here has lost either a family member or close friend to drinking and driving some type of motor vehicle.
I have a few friends who, like me, don't drink at all. We aren't reformed alcoholics, we simply chose not to drink. This choice is often triggered by the loss of someone close.
Far more often, however, surviving family members and friends drink even more after losing someone. I suppose that's understandable.
I've thought long about this and haven't come up with too many conclusions. A couple of things seem clear, though. People will drink and drive regardless of laws or consequences. There are people, few as they may be, but still... there are people who would get in their car and drive even if they knew there was a 100% chance of being caught and jailed.
With less than a million people in a province that's almost as big as Texas, you can drive drunk here every day in some areas and never get caught. Many do.
I wish I had a more positive view of the situation but, from what I can tell, people are going to drink and drive and there's nothing that can stop it.
Cheers :)
I've got to move to Canada... I haven't driven a Ski Doo blitzed out of my head for at least a decade now... good times... good times...