New Nationwide Report Estimates that Roughly a Quarter of All Drivers in Some States Drove Under the Influence of Alcohol in the Past Year

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Date: 4/23/2008
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New Nationwide Report Estimates that Roughly a Quarter of All Drivers in Some States Drove Under the Influence of Alcohol in the Past Year

Survey also reveals that 6-7 percent of adults in several states and the District of Columbia drove under the influence of illicit drugs at least once in the past year

A first-of-its-kind national report reveals that 15.1 percent of the nation’s drivers age 18 and older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year. The report says that in some states the levels are far higher – about one in four drivers.

Nationwide, an estimated 30.5 million people aged 12 or older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year according to the report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Driving under the influence ranged from a low of 9.5 percent in Utah, to highs of 26.4 percent in Wisconsin, 24.9 percent in North Dakota and 23.5 percent in Minnesota.

State Estimates of Adults Driving under the Influence of Alcohol and Illicit Drugs is based on the combined data from the 2004 to 2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and provides state-level estimates for the pervasiveness of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of illicit drugs. These estimates are annual averages based on combined data collected from 127,283 current drivers surveyed in 2004, 2005 and 2006, the most recent data available.

The report also shows that nationwide nearly one in 20 adult drivers aged 18 or older drove under the influence of illicit drugs such as marijuana/hashish, cocaine/crack, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin or prescription drugs used nonmedically.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were almost 16,700 deaths in 2004 caused by accidents related to driving under the influence of alcohol. Overall, driving under the influence of alcohol and illicit drugs is among the leading sources of preventable death by injury in the United States.

“This report highlights the enormous public health risk posed by this problem – one threatening the lives of many Americans every day,” said SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. “By highlighting the scope and nature of this problem in each state we can help communities best use their efforts and resources to address this preventable menace.”

State-by state listings of the percentage of adult drivers who drove under the influence of either alcohol or illicit drugs in the past year are provided in the chart following this release.

The full report is available on the Web at http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/stateDUI/stateDUI.cfm . Copies may be obtained free of charge by calling SAMHSA’s Health Information Network at 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727). Request inventory number SMA 08-4311. For related publications and information, visit http://www.samhsa.gov/.

State Estimates of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Illicit Drugs in the Past Year among Current Drivers Aged 18 or Older: Average of 2004-2006
Driving Under Influence of Alcohol Driving Under Influence of Illicit Drugs

State Estimates of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Illicit Drugs in the Past Year among Current Drivers Aged 18 or Older: Average of 2004-2006
Driving Under Influence of Alcohol			Driving Under Influence of Illicit Drugs
State	Percent	SE (%)*	State	Percent	SE (%)*
Wisconsin	26.4	1.52	District of Columbia	7.0	0.88
North Dakota	24.9	1.35	Rhode Island	6.8	0.79
Minnesota	23.5	1.35	Massachusetts	6.4	0.70
Nebraska	22.9	1.29	Montana	6.3	0.61
South Dakota	21.6	1.25	Wyoming	6.2	0.67
Kansas	21.1	1.45	Alaska	5.9	0.62
Massachusetts	20.5	1.27	Colorado	5.8	0.78
Rhode Island	20.4	1.44	Minnesota	5.7	0.74
Montana	20.3	1.32	Michigan	5.7	0.33
District of Columbia	19.1	1.14	Vermont	5.6	0.63
Michigan	18.4	0.63	Nevada	5.6	0.71
Wyoming	18.3	1.26	Tennessee	5.6	0.63
Missouri	18.0	1.03	New Mexico	5.5	0.75
Iowa	17.6	1.23	Hawaii	5.5	0.80
Hawaii	17.4	1.30	New Hampshire	5.4	0.61
Connecticut	17.2	1.44	Arkansas	5.4	0.61
Colorado	17.0	1.26	California	5.3	0.33
New Hampshire	16.7	1.14	Wisconsin	5.3	0.60
Illinois	16.5	0.59	Connecticut	5.2	0.67
Vermont	16.4	1.20	Missouri	5.1	0.64
Louisiana	16.0	0.96	Maine	5.0	0.67
Nevada	15.9	1.33	Washington	5.0	0.58
Oregon	15.9	1.07	Delaware	4.8	0.60
Texas	15.7	0.63	Ohio	4.8	0.28
Ohio	15.7	0.61	Pennsylvania	4.7	0.33
Indiana	15.2	1.33	Virginia	4.7	0.66
Arizona	14.9	1.15	Utah	4.7	0.54
Pennsylvania	14.8	0.54	Florida	4.7	0.30
South Carolina	14.7	1.17	Oklahoma	4.7	0.63
Maryland	14.7	1.10	Louisiana	4.7	0.53
Washington	13.8	1.26	Kansas	4.6	0.54
California	13.8	0.59	Indiana	4.5	0.52
Delaware	13.7	0.99	Georgia	4.5	0.66
Oklahoma	13.7	1.15	South Carolina	4.5	0.54
Alaska	13.7	1.13	Mississippi	4.4	0.59
Idaho	13.6	0.99	North Carolina	4.4	0.54
Virginia	13.6	1.15	Oregon	4.3	0.55
New Mexico	13.5	1.13	Illinois	4.3	0.26
Georgia	13.5	1.32	West Virginia	4.2	0.57
Florida	13.5	0.58	New York	4.1	0.29
New York	13.0	0.60	Idaho	4.1	0.57
Maine	12.4	0.98	Texas	4.1	0.25
Tennessee	12.4	1.12	Nebraska	3.9	0.48
Mississippi	11.9	1.05	Iowa	3.9	0.48
Alabama	11.4	0.97	Maryland	3.7	0.49
New Jersey	11.3	1.12	Arizona	3.7	0.49
Arkansas	10.8	0.92	Kentucky	3.6	0.51
Kentucky	10.4	1.07	North Dakota	3.5	0.40
North Carolina	10.4	1.04	South Dakota	3.5	0.39
West Virginia	10.1	0.96	Alabama	3.4	0.43
Utah	9.5	1.00	New Jersey	3.2	0.54

* The standard error (SE) is a measure of these sampling variability of an estimate, where smaller values represent greater precision and larger values represent less precision.

SOURCE: Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004-2006

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation's substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment, and mental health services delivery system.

Page Last Updated: 4/23/2008