Often, mere numbers fail to convey the true loss which is being quantified. Like the number of U.S. Soldiers and Marines who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Or, like the number of our fellow citizens who are killed every year in Pennsylvania alcohol-related car, truck and motorcycle accidents. The following numbers were prepared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2008, nearly 40% of all Pennsylvania fatal car accidents involved alcohol. Pennsylvania drunk driving statistics are a sobering reminder of the human tragedy created by the deadly mix of alcohol and driving.
Alcohol-related deaths in the US since 1982:
|
Total fatalities
|
Alcohol-related
fatalities | ||
|
Year
|
Number
|
Number
|
Percent
|
|
1982
|
43,945
|
26,173
|
60
|
|
1983
|
42,589
|
24,635
|
58
|
|
1984
|
44,257
|
24,762
|
56
|
|
1985
|
43,825
|
23,167
|
53
|
|
1986
|
46,087
|
25,017
|
54
|
|
1987
|
46,390
|
24,094
|
52
|
|
1988
|
47,087
|
23,833
|
51
|
|
1989
|
45,582
|
22,424
|
49
|
|
1990
|
44,599
|
22,587
|
51
|
|
1991
|
41,508
|
20,159
|
49
|
|
1992
|
39,250
|
18,290
|
47
|
|
1993
|
40,150
|
17,908
|
45
|
|
1994
|
40,716
|
17,308
|
43
|
|
1995
|
41,817
|
17,732
|
42
|
|
1996
|
42,065
|
17,749
|
42
|
|
1997
|
42,013
|
16,711
|
40
|
|
1998
|
41,501
|
16,673
|
40
|
|
1999
|
41,717
|
16,572
|
40
|
|
2000
|
41,945
|
17,380
|
41
|
|
2001
|
42,196
|
17,400
|
41
|
|
2002
|
43,005
|
17,524
|
41
|
|
2003
|
42,643
|
17,013
|
40
|
|
2004
|
42,518
|
16,919
|
39
|
|
2005
|
43,443
|
16,885
|
39
|
|
2006
|
42,532
|
15,829
|
37
|
|
2007
|
41,059
|
15,387
|
37
|
|
2008
|
37,261
|
13,846
|
37
|
Drinking and driving fatalities by state in 2008 (ranked by highest number of alcohol-related* deaths):
|
State
|
Total Fatalities
|
Alcohol-Related | |
|
Number
|
Percent
| ||
| Texas | 3,382 | 1,463 | 43 |
| California | 3,434 | 1,198 | 35 |
| Florida | 2,978 | 1,041 | 35 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,468 | 578 | 39 |
| North Carolina | 1,433 | 500 | 35 |
| Georgia | 1,493 | 489 | 33 |
| South Carolina | 920 | 463 | 50 |
| Illinois | 1,043 | 434 | 42 |
| Ohio | 1,190 | 415 | 35 |
| New York | 1,231 | 409 | 33 |
| Louisiana | 912 | 404 | 44 |
| Tennessee | 1,035 | 386 | 37 |
| Alabama | 966 | 367 | 38 |
| Virginia | 824 | 365 | 44 |
| Missouri | 960 | 364 | 38 |
| Michigan | 980 | 331 | 34 |
| Arizona | 937 | 329 | 35 |
| Mississippi | 783 | 297 | 38 |
| Oklahoma | 749 | 274 | 37 |
| Indiana | 814 | 250 | 31 |
| Wisconsin | 605 | 250 | 41 |
| Kentucky | 826 | 226 | 27 |
| Washington | 521 | 225 | 43 |
| Arkansas | 600 | 205 | 34 |
| Colorado | 548 | 202 | 37 |
| New Jersey | 590 | 197 | 33 |
| Maryland | 591 | 186 | 31 |
| Minnesota | 456 | 161 | 35 |
| Oregon | 416 | 159 | 38 |
| Kansas | 385 | 157 | 41 |
| Massachusetts | 363 | 151 | 42 |
| West Virginia | 380 | 142 | 37 |
| Nevada | 324 | 121 | 37 |
| New Mexico | 366 | 118 | 32 |
| Iowa | 412 | 113 | 27 |
| Connecticut | 264 | 104 | 40 |
| Montana | 229 | 103 | 45 |
| Idaho | 232 | 93 | 40 |
| Nebraska | 208 | 75 | 36 |
| Wyoming | 159 | 75 | 47 |
| Utah | 275 | 55 | 20 |
| New Hampshire | 139 | 53 | 38 |
| North Dakota | 104 | 52 | 50 |
| Hawaii | 107 | 50 | 46 |
| Delaware | 121 | 49 | 40 |
| Maine | 155 | 47 | 30 |
| South Dakota | 119 | 41 | 34 |
| Rhode Island | 65 | 29 | 45 |
| Alaska | 62 | 24 | 38 |
| Vermont | 73 | 15 | 21 |
| Dist of Columbia | 34 | 13 | 39 |
| National | 37,261 | 13,846 | 37 |
| Puerto Rico | 399 | 162 | 41 |
The table below shows alcohol-impaired** motor vehicle fatalities in the US for 2008.
| State | Total Fatalities* | BAC=.08+ | |
| Number | Number | Percent | |
| Texas | 3,382 | 1,269 | 38 |
| California | 3,434 | 1,029 | 30 |
| Florida | 2,978 | 875 | 29 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,468 | 496 | 34 |
| North Carolina | 1,433 | 423 | 30 |
| Georgia | 1,493 | 416 | 28 |
| South Carolina | 920 | 403 | 44 |
| Illinois | 1,043 | 362 | 35 |
| Ohio | 1,190 | 356 | 30 |
| New York | 1,231 | 341 | 28 |
| Louisiana | 912 | 338 | 37 |
| Tennessee | 1,035 | 327 | 32 |
| Alabama | 966 | 315 | 33 |
| Virginia | 824 | 294 | 36 |
| Missouri | 960 | 310 | 32 |
| Michigan | 980 | 282 | 29 |
| Arizona | 937 | 266 | 28 |
| Mississippi | 783 | 266 | 34 |
| Oklahoma | 749 | 244 | 33 |
| Indiana | 814 | 208 | 26 |
| Wisconsin | 605 | 208 | 34 |
| Kentucky | 826 | 200 | 24 |
| Washington | 521 | 182 | 35 |
| Arkansas | 600 | 171 | 28 |
| Colorado | 548 | 173 | 32 |
| New Jersey | 590 | 154 | 26 |
| Maryland | 591 | 152 | 26 |
| Minnesota | 456 | 135 | 30 |
| Oregon | 416 | 136 | 33 |
| Kansas | 385 | 145 | 38 |
| Massachusetts | 363 | 124 | 34 |
| West Virginia | 380 | 128 | 34 |
| Nevada | 324 | 107 | 33 |
| New Mexico | 366 | 105 | 29 |
| Iowa | 412 | 89 | 22 |
| Connecticut | 264 | 86 | 32 |
| Montana | 229 | 91 | 40 |
| Idaho | 232 | 78 | 34 |
| Nebraska | 208 | 55 | 27 |
| Wyoming | 159 | 67 | 42 |
| Utah | 275 | 46 | 17 |
| New Hampshire | 139 | 45 | 32 |
| North Dakota | 104 | 47 | 46 |
| Hawaii | 107 | 42 | 39 |
| Delaware | 121 | 45 | 37 |
| Maine | 155 | 43 | 28 |
| South Dakota | 119 | 34 | 29 |
| Rhode Island | 65 | 25 | 38 |
| Alaska | 62 | 21 | 33 |
| Vermont | 73 | 12 | 16 |
| Dist of Columbia | 34 | 9 | 26 |
| National | 37,261 | 11,773 | 32 |
| Puerto Rico | 399 | 132 | 33 |
At Purchase & George, we are Erie wrongful death lawyers who know that your loss cannot be measured by just a number. For more information on alcohol related car accidents, visit our car accident page or our car accident library or take advantage of our offer to give you a free book, "The Ultimate Guide to Car Accident Cases in Pennsylvania: A Roadmap to Justice." We are lawyers with experience handling DUI death cases who believe in providing free information to the public about car accident injuries and the cases that result from them. To schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Erie injury lawyers, call today toll free at 877-505-9548.
