Advocates For Highway and Automobile Safety--Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, health and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America's roads safer. Advocates encourages the adoption of federal and state laws, policies and programs that save lives and reduce injuries. By joining its resources with others, Advocates helps build coalitions to increase participation of a wide array of groups in public policy initiatives which advance highway and auto safety.
Address: http://www.saferoads.org/

IMPAIRED DRIVING FACTS

In 2006, 42,642 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes and 17,602, or 41%, of these were alcohol-related. Alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and non fatally injure someone every two minutes (NHTSA 2007).

In 2006, 15,121 traffic fatalities occurred in crashes in which at least one driver or non-occupant had a BAC of 0.08 or greater. (NHTSA, 2007)

The impact of alcohol involvement increases with injury severity. Alcohol-involved crashes account for 10% of property damage only crash costs, 21% of nonfatal injury crash costs, and 46% of fatal injury crash costs. (NHTSA, 2002)

Approximately 1.5 million drivers were arrested in 2002 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. This is an arrest rate of 1 for every 130 licensed drivers in the United States. (NHTSA, 2004)

In 2003, 21 percent of the children 0 to 14 years old who were killed in motor vehicle crashes were killed in alcohol-related crashes. (NHTSA, 2003)

In 2000, 20 percent of the children under 15 years old who died in motor vehicle crashes were killed in alcohol-related crashes. (NHTSA, 2000)

More than two-thirds of child passengers ages 14 and younger who died in alcohol-related crashes during 1997&endash;2002 were riding with the drinking driver; only 32% of them were properly restrained at the time of the crash (Shults 2004)

Safety belts were used by only 25 percent of fatally injured drivers with BAC levels 0.08 g/dl or higher, compared to 40 percent of fatally injured with BAC levels between 0.01 g/dl and 0.07 g/dl and 56 percent of fatally injured drivers with no alcohol (BAC = 0.00 g/dl). (NHTSA, 2003)

Alcohol-related crashes cost society approximately $40 billion a year. (NHTSA, 2002)
Address: http://www.saferoads.org/issues/fs-08bac.htm

Teen drivers, speeding, red light running, child restraints, rollover, helmet safety, and more issues may be found at their web site. Address: http://www.saferoads.org/sec_issues.htm

Checkout the current safety laws in your state or one you will be visiting.
Address: http://www.saferoads.org/

updated 07/19/10