Drunk Driving Statistics: An Examination of DUI Arrest and Death Data

Posted On June 28, 2023 • Drunk Driving • by John Allen Phebus

Thousands of avoidable deaths occur each year because of drinking and driving. Drunk drivers are a threat not only to themselves but also to everyone else on the road because they are more likely to cause crashes due to impaired motor skills and reaction time. Accidents caused by drunk drivers can often cause serious injuries and death to any individual involved. Because of the dangers of impaired driving, police keep an eye out for signs of impaired drivers, and in doing so, arrest an average of 1 million drunk drivers yearly.

Table of Contents

Below we will examine drunk driving statistics to outline when and where drunk driving crashes and DUI arrests are more likely to occur, and take a look at who dies and who is arrested as a result of these crashes.

How Many People are Killed Each Year in Drunk Driving Crashes?

Drunk driving causes thousands of preventable deaths in the US each year. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, in 2020 there were a total of 11,654 fatalities related to alcohol-impaired driving, causing around 30% of all car accident-related deaths for the year. While any amount of DUI deaths is too many, this number is down significantly from historical highs. In 1982, 21,113 people were killed in crashes where at least one driver had a BAC of .08 or higher and 24,025 where a driver had a BAC above .01.

Alcohol-Related Fatalities From 1982 – 2020

A person’s BAC, or Blood Alcohol Content, is a unit of measurement that is used to determine how much alcohol is in a person’s system and to establish when a person is too drunk to drive.

A BAC of .08 or more is considered over the legal limit and data shows that drivers with a BAC of .08+ are more likely to die in the event of a crash than drivers with lower BACs. According to the NHTSA, a BAC of .08 causes muscle coordination to become poor, affecting reaction time, vision, speech, hearing, and balance. A BAC of .08 will also reduce concentration capabilities and information processing, making it extremely difficult and dangerous to operate a motor vehicle.

Since 1982:

drunk driving deaths with a BAC of .01+ have decreased by about 10,000
alcohol-impaired driving deaths with a BAC of .08+ have decreased by almost 10,000

In 2020:

Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities made up 30% of all car crash-related deaths
8,626 deaths were vehicle occupants (drivers and other passengers)
1,803 deaths were motorcyclists
1,048 deaths were pedestrians
126 deaths were pedal cyclists
51 deaths were other unknown non-occupants
There was a total of 11,654 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities

U.S. Drunk Driving Deaths by Year & BAC level

This table shows the number of deaths in crashes involving at least one driver who had been drinking from 1982 – 2020, along with the total number of motor vehicle deaths in each year.

Year	BAC .01-.07	BAC .08+ (impaired)	BAC .01+	All Fatalities
1982	2,912	21,113	24,025	43,945
1983	2,588	20,051	22,639	42,589
1984	3,007	19,638	22,645	44,257
1985	2,974	18,125	21,098	43,825
1986	3,487	19,554	23,041	46,087
1987	3,238	18,813	22,051	46,390
1988	3,156	18,611	21,767	47,087
1989	2,793	17,521	20,314	45,582
1990	2,901	17,705	20,607	44,599
1991	2,480	15,827	18,307	41,508
1992	2,352	14,049	16,401	39,250
1993	2,300	13,739	16,039	40,150
1994	2,236	13,390	15,626	40,716
1995	2,416	13,478	15,893	41,817
1996	2,415	13,451	15,866	42,065
1997	2,216	12,757	14,973	42,013
1998	2,353	12,546	14,899	41,501
1999	2,235	12,555	14,790	41,717
2000	2,422	13,324	15,746	41,945
2001	2,441	13,290	15,731	42,196
2002	2,321	13,472	15,793	43,005
2003	2,327	13,096	15,423	42,884
2004	2,212	13,099	15,311	42,836
2005	2,404	13,582	15,985	43,510
2006	2,479	13,491	15,970	42,708
2007	2,494	13,041	15,534	41,259
2008	2,115	11,711	13,826	37,423
2009	1,972	10,759	12,731	33,883
2010	1,771	10,136	11,906	32,999
2011	1,662	9,865	11,527	32,479
2012	1,782	10,336	12,118	33,782
2013	1,834	10,084	11,918	32,893
2014	1,800	9,943	11,743	32,744
2015	1,930	10,280	12,210	35,484
2016	1,984	10,967	12,951	37,806
2017	1,895	10,880	12,775	37,473
2018	1,850	10,710	12,560	36,835
2019	1,834	10,196	12,029	36,355
2020	2,041	11,654	13,695	38,824

When are Fatal Drunk Driving Accidents More Likely to Occur?

Fatal drunk driving accidents are more likely to occur around times when people are more likely to go out and engage in activities that involve indulging in alcohol. As a result, most fatal drunk driving accidents take place at night, on the weekends, during the summertime, and around holidays.

Times of Day with the Most Fatal Drunk Driving Incidents

Fatal crashes involving alcohol impairment (BAC of .08+) are 3.6 times more likely to happen at night than during the day.

Midnight to 3 am is the worst time on the road for motor vehicle fatalities involving alcohol-impaired driving

66% of all motor vehicle fatalities caused by alcohol-impaired driving occur during this time
55% of drivers involved are alcohol-impaired

3 am to 6 am is the second worst time on the road for motor vehicle fatalities

52% of all motor vehicle fatalities caused by alcohol-impaired driving occur during this time
42% of drivers involved were alcohol-impaired

9 pm to midnight is the third worse time on the road for motor vehicle fatalities

46%of all motor vehicle fatalities caused by alcohol-impaired driving occur during this time
36% of drivers involved were alcohol-impaired

There are different types of alcohol-impaired vehicle crashes that occur: single-vehicle and multiple-vehicle. Single-vehicle crashes only involve the impaired driver’s vehicle, whereas multiple-vehicle crashes involve both the impaired driver’s vehicle and other potentially unimpaired drivers and their vehicles.

Time of Day for Single-Vehicle Crashes and Percentage of Alcohol-Impaired Drivers Under 21

During the Daytime:

Weekdays: 14%
Weekend: 12%
Total: 13%

At Nighttime:

Weekday: 33%
Weekend: 45%
Total: 40%

Time of Day for Single-Vehicle Crashes and Percentage of Alcohol-Impaired Drivers Over 21

During the Daytime:

Weekday: 22%
Weekend: 29%
Total: 24%

At Nighttime:

Weekday: 52%
Weekend: 62%
Total: 57%

Time of Day for Multiple-Vehicle Crashes and Percentage of Alcohol-Impaired Drivers Under 21

During the Daytime:

Weekdays: 5%
Weekend: 10%
Total: 6%

At Nighttime:

Weekday: 19%
Weekend: 26%
Total: 23%

Time of Day for Multiple-Vehicle Crashes and Percentage of Alcohol-Impaired Drivers Over 21

During the Daytime:

Weekday: 9%
Weekend: 12%
Total: 10%

At Nighttime:

Weekday: 26%
Weekend: 34%
Total: 30%

Days of the Week with the Most Drunk Driving

28% of all drivers involved in fatal crashes on the weekend were alcohol-impaired, compared to 15% on weekdays
61% of drunk driving-related fatalities happen on the weekends (Friday through Sunday)

Months with the highest deadly alcohol-related car crash rates

Summer is the most dangerous time of year on the road deadly drunk driving car crashes
More deaths caused by drunken driving occur in July 9.6%, August 9.0% and September 9.0% than in any other month
The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the 100 Deadliest Days for teen drivers because teen drivers are more likely to die during this time period in impaired-driving car accidents

Drunk Driving and Holidays

During the holidays the percentage of deadly car accidents increases due to alcohol-impaired driving, making holidays one of the most dangerous times on the road. Below are statistics on alcohol-impaired driving deaths for each major holiday.

New Years

In 2019 of the 428 traffic fatalities, 36% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2018 of the 325 traffic fatalities, 39% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2017 of the 330 traffic fatalities, 37% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2016 of the 279 traffic fatalities, 37% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2015 of the 354 traffic fatalities, 36% involved an alcohol-impaired driver

Memorial Day

In 2019 of the 453 traffic fatalities, 37% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2018 of the 430 traffic fatalities, 38% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2017 of the 345 traffic fatalities, 37% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2016 of the 392 traffic fatalities, 37% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2015 of the 370 traffic fatalities, 39% involved an alcohol-impaired driver

4th of July

In 2019 of the 499 traffic fatalities, 39% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2018 of the 175 traffic fatalities, 41% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2017 of the 529 traffic fatalities, 38% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2016 of the 397 traffic fatalities, 42% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2015 of the 366 traffic fatalities, 35% involved an alcohol-impaired driver

Labor Day

In 2019 of the 438 traffic fatalities, 39% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2018 of the 433 traffic fatalities, 36% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2017 of the 345 traffic fatalities, 37% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2016 of the 384 traffic fatalities, 37% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2015 of the 397 traffic fatalities, 34% involved an alcohol-impaired driver

Thanksgiving

In 2019 of the 413 traffic fatalities, 29% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2018 of the 433 traffic fatalities, 31% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2017 of the 470 traffic fatalities, 36% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2016 of the 439 traffic fatalities, 36% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2015 of the 392 traffic fatalities, 35% involved an alcohol-impaired driver

Christmas

In 2019 of the 129 traffic fatalities, 38% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2018 of the 425 traffic fatalities, 35% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2017 of the 299 traffic fatalities, 38% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2016 of the 318 traffic fatalities, 35% involved an alcohol-impaired driver
In 2015 of the 280 traffic fatalities, 36% involved an alcohol-impaired driver

Who is Killed in Drunk Driving Accidents?

While drivers of all ages can make the decision to drink and drive, people between the ages of 21 and 34 are most likely to be killed in drunk driving accidents. In fact, nearly 40% of all traffic deaths in that age group are alcohol-related.

Age Group	Drunk Driving Fatalities	% of All Deaths
<15	76	24%
5-9	68	22%
10-15	137	20%
16-20	854	27%
21-24	1,298	39%
25-34	3,002	39%
35-44	2,048	35%
45-54	1,638	31%
55-64	1,450	26%
65-74	693	20%
>74	350	12%
Unknown	40	23%

Like most risky behaviors, men are overrepresented in drunk driving deaths. Men are more than four times as likely to be involved in a fatal drunk driving accident compared to women. In 2020:

6,923 impaired male drivers were killed in drunk driving crashes
1,579 impaired female drivers were killed in drunk driving crashes

Where do Deadly Drunk Driving Accidents Happen Most Frequently?

Deadly drunk driving accidents occur in every state throughout the US, however, in some states they occur more often. This map shows the total number of fatal alcohol-related fatalities in each state from 2017 through 2020, the lastest year available.

Select a state to view the drunk driving death trends in that state over this four-year period.

Below is a data table that outlines the number of deaths in each state over the past 5 years.

Drunk Driving Deaths by State

This table shows all deaths where at least one driver in a crash had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher from 2016 through 2020. The percentage column shows the percentage of all motor vehicle fatalities that fit these criteria.

State	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	5-year Total	% of All Deaths
Alabama	298	265	249	272	236	1,320	27%
Alaska	31	23	27	21	14	116	31%
Arizona	244	270	298	259	293	1,364	27%
Arkansas	130	146	135	131	166	708	26%
California	1,114	1,141	1,116	966	1,159	5,496	29%
Colorado	163	177	192	160	186	878	28%
Connecticut	114	122	120	98	118	572	40%
Delaware	37	31	28	32	27	155	26%
D.C.	10	16	8	7	7	48	32%
Florida	901	834	822	775	871	4,203	26%
Georgia	378	357	379	355	402	1,871	24%
Hawaii	37	42	38	36	27	180	34%
Idaho	75	64	56	69	61	325	28%
Illinois	336	357	325	311	379	1,708	32%
Indiana	212	259	214	200	249	1,134	26%
Iowa	108	90	90	102	113	503	29%
Kansas	98	106	81	87	96	468	22%
Kentucky	177	181	136	151	199	844	22%
Louisiana	228	212	221	214	233	1,108	29%
Maine	63	48	39	49	64	263	33%
Maryland	143	186	129	167	183	808	30%
Massachusetts	144	122	122	112	98	598	34%
Michigan	247	303	283	264	306	1,403	27%
Minnesota	95	85	104	85	107	476	25%
Mississippi	134	157	166	166	162	785	23%
Missouri	248	247	245	236	312	1,288	28%
Montana	84	56	80	66	96	382	40%
Nebraska	61	67	68	60	73	329	28%
Nevada	102	85	88	89	83	447	28%
New Hampshire	40	26	46	38	37	187	32%
New Jersey	134	121	127	129	151	662	23%
New Mexico	119	113	113	125	130	600	30%
New York	296	289	325	256	286	1,452	29%
North Carolina	428	399	419	386	454	2,086	29%
North Dakota	52	45	28	42	35	202	38%
Ohio	331	328	297	362	448	1,766	31%
Oklahoma	186	161	147	156	179	829	25%
Oregon	152	144	157	171	191	815	33%
Pennsylvania	342	320	339	299	322	1,622	28%
Rhode Island	19	35	22	24	28	128	40%
South Carolina	343	305	290	276	315	1,529	30%
South Dakota	46	36	46	28	49	205	33%
Tennessee	227	252	243	289	326	1,337	25%
Texas	1,481	1,463	1,471	1,338	1,495	7,248	39%
Utah	53	52	62	38	58	263	20%
Vermont	28	18	15	9	18	88	29%
Virginia	223	245	245	237	286	1,236	30%
Washington	156	177	165	181	199	878	32%
West Virginia	68	72	58	56	76	330	24%
Wisconsin	199	185	206	186	210	986	33%
Wyoming	34	46	36	33	44	193	31%

Which States Have the Biggest Problem with DUI Deaths?

While fatality totals are important, it is difficult to compare states given the significant population disparity. However, viewing drunk driving deaths as a percentage of total fatalities allows us to see which states may or may not have a bigger issue with DUI deaths.

States with the highest percentage of Drunk Driving Deaths in the past 5 years

Connecticut 40%
Montana 40%
Rhode Island 40%
Texas 39%
North Dakota 38%
Massachusetts 34%
Hawaii 34%
Maine 33%
Oregon 33%
South Dakota 33%
Wisconsin 33%

States with the Lowest percentage of Drunk Driving Related Deaths in the past 5 years

Utah 20%
Kansas 22%
Kentucky 22%
Mississippi 23%
New Jersey 23%
Georgia 24%
West Virginia 24%
Minnesota 25%
Oklahoma 25%
Tennessee 25%

Why Do Drunk Driving-Related Deaths Happen?

The majority of US states that have the most drunk driving incidents are located in the Midwest and Mountain Regions. These areas usually have more open roads and rural land, meaning longer driving distances between destinations. Additionally, because of how rural these areas are, there is a lack of alternative transportation options, such as rideshares or public transportation.

In recent years, rideshare services have expanded into more rural areas of the US that were previously unserviced. However, even once the expansions occurred, regular access to the rideshare services is hard to come by due to the lower population and thus fewer employed drivers. In these areas, lack of access to alternative forms of transportation may play a role in the higher rates of drunken driving.

Arrests in the US: Driving Under the Influence

Each time someone gets behind the wheel drunk, they have the potential to impact multiple lives. In an effort to minimize deaths related to alcohol-impaired driving, authorities keep an eye out for signs of impaired drivers on the road. While the impact of an alcohol-related collision on those involved cannot be denied, a DUI or DWI arrest can dramatically change a person’s life as well. Consequences such as license revocation, steep fees and fines, higher insurance premiums, court-mandated driving classes, community service, and limited job opportunities can affect an arrested driver’s life for years after the incident. On average, over 1 million arrested are made each year for driving under the influence.

Unfortunately, national DUI arrest data is very sparse, especially compared to the data readily available for deaths associated with alcohol-impaired driving. However, the available data shows that arrests and deaths for alcohol-impaired driving have decreased over the years. DUI arrest data on a national level is important and could help shed light on ways to reduce drunken driving and thus arrests.

DUI Arrest Data

Data scientists at Insurify collected data from over 4 million car insurance applications and used this information to find the DUI rates for each state. Insurance applicants must submit their state of residence and driving history, which includes any violations. To find the percentage for each state the total number of drivers in each state was compared to the number of drivers with a DUI.

Top 10 States with the Highest Percentage of DUIs in 2021

North Dakota: 5.17% of Drivers with a DUI
Wyoming: 5.16% of Drivers with a DUI
South Dakota: 4.57% of Drivers with a DUI
Wisconsin: 4.33% of Drivers with a DUI
Alaska: 4.11% of Drivers with a DUI
Minnesota: 3.83% of Drivers with a DUI
Idaho: 3.7% of Drivers with a DUI
Montana: 3.69% of Drivers with a DUI
Nebraska: 3.65% of Drivers with a DUI
Iowa: 3.52% of Drivers with a DUI

*note: determined using the total number of drivers compared to the number of drivers with a DUI

NHTSA Roadside Study DUI Arrest Data

Between 1980 and 2014 the NHTSA conducted roadside studies on drunken driving and DUI arrests. The results shed light on the number of DUI arrests, liquor law arrests, and drunkenness arrests during the span of almost 40 years.

In 2014:

A total of 1,117,852 DUI arrests were made
There were over 300,000 arrests for liquor laws
414,854 arrests made for drunkenness

Between 1980 to 2014 arrests rates declined significantly due to stricter laws and more awareness of the dangers of impaired driving. During that span of almost 40 years:

DUI arrest rates have declined from 627.9 to 350.6
Liquor law arrest rates have declined from 204 to 100.7
Drunkenness arrest rates have declined from 495.5 to 130.1

Between 1980 to 2014, DUI arrest rates decreased for all age groups

Age Range	DUI Arrest Rate in 1980	DUI Arrest Rate in 2014
10-12	0.9	0.1
13-14	5.9	1.3
15	28.4	7.2
16	194.8	38.4
17	539.1	116.7
18	1,230.80	348.1
19	1,445.10	524
20	1,571.50	645.5
21	1,698.80	998.3
22	1,642.50	1,054.90
23	1,602.00	1,075.30
24	1,517.70	1,049.80
25-29	1,290.90	930.4
30-34	1,049.60	736.2
35-39	966.1	589.6
40-44	896.6	488.7
45-49	762.5	424.6
50-54	587.4	355.8
55-59	427	246.3
60-64	271.2	148.9

*Note: Arrest rate is defined as Arrests/100,000 Persons

Arrest Rates for Adults, Juveniles, and Total Population From 1980 to 2014

Aside from over a million arrests made for DUIs, there are also many arrests made each year for violations of liquor laws and drunkenness. Liquor laws define who can buy alcohol and where and when it can be purchased, these laws vary from state to state. Drunkenness laws refer to public intoxication. Some states do not have laws surrounding public intoxication, however, most do. Enforcement of drunkenness laws varies depending on the state. Below is a table that outlines the arrest rates for DUIs, liquor laws, and drunkenness for adults, juveniles, and the total population between 1980 to 2014.

		Adult Arrest Rates			Juvenile Arrest Rates			Total Population Arrest Rates
Year of Offence	Total Population	DUI	Liquor Laws	Drunkenness	DUI	Liquor Laws	Drunkenness	DUI	Liquor Laws	Drunkenness
1980	227,224,681	852.4	190.6	661.2	51.4	238.5	69.9	627.9	204	495.5
1981	229,465,714	902.6	202.9	671.1	48.8	231.3	62.9	667.4	210.7	503.5
1982	231,664,458	1,033.80	208.7	722.8	52.3	237	66.3	767.7	216.4	544.8
1983	233,791,994	1,104.40	212.9	631.9	48	213.8	53.1	821.7	213.1	477
1984	235,824,902	1,012.00	215.2	646.8	40.3	212	49.7	754.5	214.4	488.6
1985	237,923,795	1,006.20	233.2	534.5	39.1	223.3	44.4	751.7	230.6	405.5
1986	240,132,887	995.6	245.9	508.8	45.2	261.4	50.9	746.8	249.9	388.9
1987	242,288,918	950	253.1	448.5	38.9	258.6	38.8	712.9	254.5	341.9
1988	244,498,982	975.4	275.7	438.3	38.9	268.6	38.3	733.1	273.9	334.8
1989	246,819,230	935.7	274.4	436.7	32.2	243.1	34.4	703.4	266.3	333.2
1990	249,622,814	965.6	300.4	477.7	31.9	245.7	38.1	725.4	286.3	364.6
1991	252,980,941	934	255.4	457.7	28.6	221.7	33.8	700.2	246.7	348.3
1992	256,514,224	847.1	221.6	428.1	22.6	181.4	28.5	633.3	211.2	324.5
1993	259,918,588	785.7	209.4	369	20.2	171.2	25	586.7	199.5	279.6
1994	263,125,821	704.8	215.7	357.1	20.3	178.2	27.2	526.2	205.9	271.1
1995	266,278,393	721.9	237.5	349.3	21.9	183.6	29.7	539.3	223.4	265.9
1996	269,394,284	727.5	259.9	348.9	26.2	227.7	33.9	544.7	251.5	266.8
1997	272,646,925	722.5	246.4	352.1	27.9	196.6	34.5	541.8	233.4	269.5
1998	275,854,104	676	241.6	335.2	29.4	191.2	35.2	508.5	228.5	257.5
1999	279,040,168	718.9	251.5	306.8	31.2	190.5	28.8	541.6	235.8	235.1
2000	282,165,844	691.2	263.5	293.5	29.4	180.1	30.3	521.4	242.1	226
2001	285,049,647	666	236.5	281.7	28.6	149.1	28.3	503.4	214.2	217
2002	287,745,630	670.8	237	258.1	29.8	198.6	25.6	508	227.2	199
2003	290,242,027	657.8	220.8	244.9	28.5	181.7	23.6	498.9	210.9	189
2004	292,936,109	644.3	222	244.3	26.8	170.6	22.6	489.3	209.1	188.7
2005	295,618,454	610.3	213.4	243.5	24.3	168.7	21.5	464.1	202.2	188.1
2006	298,431,771	642	225.7	239.3	26.9	188.2	22	489.4	216.4	185.4
2007	301,393,632	620.8	217.8	252.2	24.4	187.1	22.7	473.6	210.2	195.6
2008	304,177,401	638.9	216.2	259.3	21.3	173.6	20.9	487.7	205.8	200.9
2009	306,656,290	614.6	198.1	250	18.1	148.1	18.6	469.7	186	193.8
2010	309,347,057	595.3	177.8	233	16.2	127.8	17.1	456.6	165.8	181.3
2011	311,721,632	507	173.5	220	13.7	119.4	15.5	390	160.7	171.5
2012	314,112,078	530.3	151.5	208.8	12.7	105.6	13.4	408.8	140.7	162.9
2013	316,497,531	477.3	121.8	179.6	10.3	80.3	10	368.7	112.1	140.1
2014	318,857,056	452.9	110.1	166.5	9.5	69.5	8.8	350.6	100.7	130.1

*Note: Arrest rate is defined as Arrests/100,000 Persons

Overall DUI, liquor law, and drunkenness arrest rates have decreased over time. For the population as a whole, between 1980 to 2014:

DUI arrest rates have decreased from 627.9 in 1980 to 350.6 in 2014
Liquor laws arrest rates have decreased from 204 in 1980 to 100.7 in 2014
Drunkenness arrest rates have decreased from 495.5 in 1980 to 130.1 in 2014

For adults ages 18+:

DUI arrest rates have decreased from 852.4 in 1980 to 452.9 in 2014
Liquor laws arrest rates have decreased from 190.6 in 1980 to 110.1 in 2014
Drunkenness arrest rates have decreased from 661.2 in 1980 to 166.5 in 2014

For juveniles under 18:

DUI arrest rates have decreased from 51.4 in 1980 to 9.5 in 2014
Liquor laws arrest rates have decreased from 238.5 in 1980 to 69.5 in 2014
Drunkenness arrest rates have decreased from 69.9 in 1980 to 8.8 in 2014

Male vs. Female DUI Arrest Rates

The most recent arrest data collected by the Bureau of Justice in 2014 shows that men are more than 3 times as likely as women to be arrested for a DUI. The table below shows arrest rate data for men and women between 1980 and 2014.

MaleFemale

Offense	Driving Under the Influence	Population	Driving Under the Influence	Population

1980	1,171.60	110,398,730	114.1	116,825,951
1981	1,236.10	111,502,932	129.8	117,962,782
1982	1,412.00	112,579,409	158.5	119,085,049
1983	1,502.50	113,646,996	177.7	120,144,998
1984	1,374.40	114,670,261	167.9	121,154,641
1985	1,367.80	115,729,534	168.1	122,194,261
1986	1,359.50	116,865,159	165.9	123,267,728
1987	1,293.50	117,960,809	162	124,328,109
1988	1,326.30	119,085,538	169.9	125,413,444
1989	1,267.60	120,277,515	167.2	126,541,715
1990	1,297.80	121,713,764	180.8	127,909,050
1991	1,245.10	123,416,235	181.2	129,564,706
1992	1,118.80	125,247,146	170	131,267,078
1993	1,031.80	126,970,600	161.5	132,947,988
1994	924	128,597,479	146	134,528,342
1995	942	130,215,371	153.9	136,063,022
1996	947.9	131,807,484	158.4	137,586,800
1997	936.3	133,473,526	163.5	139,173,399
1998	876.3	135,129,904	155.4	140,724,200
1999	928.8	136,802,873	169.2	142,237,295
2000	888.9	138,458,750	167.4	143,707,094
2001	853.6	140,002,256	165.4	145,047,391
2002	854.2	141,422,759	173.4	146,322,871
2003	830.7	142,693,074	178.2	147,548,953
2004	809.1	144,161,766	179.5	148,774,343
2005	761.1	145,592,281	175.8	150,026,173
2006	794.3	147,097,562	193	151,334,209
2007	761.8	148,653,224	193.2	152,740,408
2008	776.3	150,126,964	206.4	154,050,437
2009	735.9	151,436,285	210.1	155,220,005
2010	708.9	152,089,484	212.5	157,257,573
2011	598.2	153,294,635	188.4	158,426,997
2012	625.8	154,528,573	198.4	159,583,505
2013	562.7	155,741,368	180.7	160,756,163
2014	534.9	156,936,487	172	161,920,569

Interestingly, while arrest rates for men have been cut by more than half, arrest rates for women have increased by over 50 percent since 1980.

DUI arrest rates for men:

In 1980: 1,171.6
In 2014: 534.9

DUI arrest rates for women:

In 1980: 114.1
In 2014: 172

DUI Arrest Rates Based on Race and Age

DUI rates by race in 2014	All ages	Juveniles	Adults
All	350.6	9.5	452.9
White	373	11.4	475.8
Black	327.1	3.3	251.1
American Indian/Alaskan Native	347.4	10	495.5
Asian/Pacific Islander	115.3	2.6	148.8

When do Most DUI Arrests Occur?

Data collected by the NHTSA shows that most drunk driving occurs at night and on the weekends, thus the rates of DUI arrests are likely to be higher at those times. Nights and weekends are times when people are off of work, out with friends, and attending events, and are more likely to drink alcohol.

Putting it All Together

It is clear that the operation of motor vehicles and alcohol do not and should not mix. The drunk driving statistics presented here should illuminate the dangers and risk involved. A DUI arrest can significantly alter the course of your life. A drunk driving collision can end it and destroy the lives of innocent bystanders or other motorists.

If you have been or plan to drink alcohol, don’t get behind the wheel of a car. Secure a safe and sober ride or call a taxi or rideshare service.