Cover Image for Scientists looked at 15 years worth of drunk driving data. Here are six surprises.

Scientists looked at 15 years worth of drunk driving data. Here are six surprises.

Sabah Khalaf
2 minute read

Between 150 and 200 people die every year due to drunk driving in Oklahoma, and thousands more people are arrested for driving under the influence.

Experts from five universities across the United States have completed an exhaustive look at drunk driving nationwide over 15 years using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Here are some head-turning statistics from their analysis about drunk driving in America:

  • Drivers with higher incomes and college educations have a higher rate of drunk driving per capita and also reported the lowest decline in drunk driving since the national rate of DUIs started declining in 2011.
  • One of every 10 adults reporting having driven after drinking alcohol.
  • Motorists in their late 20s and early 30s are significantly more likely to drive under the influence than college-aged people between the ages of 18 and 25.
  • Motorists who had been in contact with the criminal justice system in the previous year were more likely to have driven under the influence of alcohol.
  • Arrests for driving under the influence among women have noticeably and significantly increased.
  • Fewer Americans are driving under the influence overall, but deadly crashes have continued to rise since 2011.

If You Get a DUI

We know bad things happen to good people. It is important to remember a DUI arrest does not make you a bad person, but it can have substantial implications. It’s important that you hire the right lawyer in order to minimize the impact the arrest will have on your life.