Driving Under The Influence

What is impaired Driving?
Impaired driving can be defined as a reduction in the performance of critical driving tasks due to the effects of alcohol or other drugs.

"You Drink & Drive. You Lose" This national slogans discourage impaired driving and are familiar to millions of Americans. And the message is getting through to the public. In 1982, 57% of motor vehicle fatalities were alcohol-related. In 2002, that number had fallen to 41%. However, the fight is far from over.

In Arizona in 2001, 488 people died in motor vehicle crashes where alcohol was a factor. Thousands more were injured. Alcohol-related crashes are painful and expensive. Costs to treat the injured are passed on to taxpayers in the form of increased public health costs and higher insurance premiums. When it comes to impaired driving, everyone loses.

Arizona Driving Under the Influence Statistics

Police in Arizona reported 7,756 crashes involving a driver or pedestrian with a BAC of .01 or more. Formulas developed by NHTSA were used to estimate the number of alcohol-related crashes where alcohol involvement was not reported by the police. In 2002, an estimated total of 8,095 crashes in Arizona involved alcohol which killed 488 and injured thousands more people.

Costs

Alcohol is a factor in more than 26% of Arizona’s crash costs. Economic loss due to Alcohol-related crashes in AZ for 2001 totaled $431,118,600. Alcohol-related crashes in Arizona cost the public an more than $2.6 billion in 2001, including $1.1 billion in monetary costs and $1.5 billion in quality of life losses. Alcohol-related crashes are deadlier and more serious than any other crashes. People other than the drinking driver paid $1.6 billion of the alcohol-related crash bill.

Costs Per Alcohol-related Injury

The average alcohol-related fatality in Arizona cost $3.3 million: $.9 million in monetary costs $2.4 million in

quality of life losses The estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash averaged $87,000: $49,000 in monetary costs $51,000 in quality of life losses

Costs Per Mile Driven

Crash costs in Arizona averaged: $8.30 per mile driven at BACs of .10 and above $3.60 per mile driven at BACs between .08-.09 $0.20 per mile driven at BACs of .00

Costs Per Drink

The societal costs of alcohol-related crashes in Arizona averaged $1.70 per drink consumed. People other than the drinking driver paid $0.70 per drink.

Impact on Auto Insurance Rates

Alcohol-related crashes accounted for an estimated 17% of Arizona’s auto insurance payments. Reducing alcohol-related crashes by 10% would save $50 million in claims payments and loss adjustment expenses.

This information is courtesy of http://www.dps.state.az.us/