Drunk driving ranks high on the list of causes of death on American roads. According to NHTSA data, drunk driving results in the death of one person every 52 minutes, accounting for an average of 28 deaths per day and 10,000 lives yearly.
BAC Limits
The federal BAC limit is 0.08 for drivers. On average, it takes 2-3 servings of beer to reach a BAC of 0.08 percent. However, the number of drinks can vary based on gender and body size.
You could get away with driving at a lower BAC. However, alcohol can cause impairment even when the BAC is below the legal limit, so it is best to avoid alcohol altogether. For drivers under 21, the BAC limit is 0.02, meaning any amount of alcohol in the blood could lead to prosecution.
DUI-Related Deaths on a Downward Trend Until 2020
Drunk driving-related fatalities have been on a steady decline since 1985. From 2016 to 2019, the NHTSA recorded a decrease yearly, with the number of fatalities dropping from 10,967 in 2016 to 10,142 in 2019.
However, these figures are now on an upward trend going by the 2020 and 2021 statistics. According to figures from the NHTSA, alcohol-related fatalities were up by 18.4 percent in the two years compared to the 2019 numbers.
The COVID-19 Factor
While the last two years spell some disappointment, most experts believe things will turn back to normal as America rises from the effects of COVID-19. “The COVID-19 pandemic could be partially to blame for the current trends in accidents related to drunk driving,” says car accident lawyer Andrew Lindsey of The Reckless Driving Lawyers. The pressure meant more people sought solace in the bottle.
Also, there was very little enforcement on the roads, encouraging many people to get behind the wheel when drunk. While 2021 was significantly different in traffic volumes and COVID-related stress, the traits picked in 2020 seem to have spilled over, with fatalities in all categories of accidents increasing by over 10 percent.
Alcohol-related deaths increased by 5 percent, creating a two-year string of increasing alcohol-related deaths.
Public Perception of Drunk Driving
According to a recent study, 65 percent of drivers in 2021 were more concerned about drunk driving compared to COVID-19. COVID-19 was a concern to 59 percent of drivers. The study also had 5 percent of the drivers reporting driving while they believed to have been above the BAC limit, a 35.5 percent increase from the figures obtained in a similar study conducted in 2020.
Of the respondents in the 2021 study, 10.4 percent drove drunk because they thought they would get away with it, and a worrying 40.5 percent thought they were okay to drive while above the legal limit. Unfortunately, drivers that choose to get behind the wheel pose a danger to themselves and other road users.
Alcohol Impairment and Consequences
Alcohol causes impairment on several levels, which include poor decision making, slower reaction times, poor vision, reduced attentiveness, and increased chances of drowsy driving. Some of these impairments can occur when someone is below the legal BAC limit.
Upon arrest and conviction, offenders could face jail time, fines, and, under some circumstances losing their driving privileges through license revocations and suspension.
Also, a conviction of a DUI is among the crimes that stay on a convicted person’s record for a lifetime which can significantly affect the person’s ability to land a job.