Alcohol Addiction and Driving

By Emily Battaglia

Alcoholism is linked with many high-risk behaviors. The dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol have been well-documented, but intoxicated driving remains a serious problem in the United States. Obtaining treatment for alcohol abuse problems can help prevent the potentially tragic consequences of risky behaviors, not the least of which is the possibility of serious injury or death in an automobile accident.

Alcohol use increases the risk of alcohol-related injury and fatality. According to national statistics cited by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, in 2007 over 40 percent of traffic accident fatalities were a result of alcohol use. Of 42,642 people who were killed in traffic accidents, 17,602 deaths were alcohol-related. Approximately 254,000 people suffered injuries in alcohol-related collisions.

Individuals who drive while under the influence of alcohol are more likely to do so at night. In 2008, the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was four times higher at night than during the day. In addition, drivers are more likely to be intoxicated on the weekends than during the week. In 2006, 15 percent of drivers involved in weekday fatal auto crashes were alcohol-impaired, compared to 31 percent of drivers on weekends. In addition, auto crashes involving men are more likely to be alcohol-related than crashes involving women; this statistic is most frequently true for men between the ages of 25 and 34.

Alcoholism can also lead to serious legal consequences. In 2007, almost three-quarters of drivers convicted of driving while impaired were either frequent heavy drinkers or alcoholics. In 2007, impaired drivers involved in fatal alcohol-related crashes were eight times more likely than unimpaired drivers to have prior convictions for driving while impaired, which indicates that impaired driving is a repetitive behavior. One important symptom of alcohol abuse is the repeated use of alcohol despite serious detrimental consequences. These data indicate that impaired drivers tend to also be problem drinkers.

Younger drivers are more likely to drive while intoxicated and are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents. In 2007, the highest percentage of drivers with blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher (the legal limit) was for drivers aged 25 to 34. In 2006, drivers aged 15 to 24 were involved in more than 30 percent of all traffic fatalities, even though drivers in this age range only represent 14.2 percent of the population. In 2007, the U.S. Surgeon General estimated that approximately 5,000 youth under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related injuries each year.