New Jersey and United States DUI/DWI Statistics
It is without question that drunk driving continues to be a major problem in the United States. Based on data published by the New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety, of the approximately 30,000 motor vehicle fatalities in the United States each year, 31 percent involve alcohol-impaired driving. On average, someone dies in an alcohol-related accident every hour, and many more suffer life-changing injuries.
While drunk driving needs to stop, those charged with DUI/DWI offenses deserve the protection afforded by experienced legal representation. If you have been charged with an alcohol-related traffic offense in New Jersey, we encourage you to contact us for a confidential consultation.
New Jersey DUI/DWI Statistics
The following are among the most noteworthy DUI/DWI statistics published by the New Jersey State Police, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD):
- Driving while intoxicated was listed as a contributing factor in 118 out of 522 fatal car crashes (22 percent) in New Jersey in 2015.
- 28 percent of drivers killed and nearly 20 percent of drivers who survived alcohol-involved accidents in 2015 tested positive for alcohol consumption. This means that the vast majority of drivers killed in alcohol-involved accidents are not the ones who are alcohol-impaired.
- Nearly 80 percent of drunk drivers killed in accidents tested positive for a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08 percent or higher.
- The vast majority of accidents in which drunk drivers are killed (33 out of 51 killed in 2015) involve collisions with fixed objects.
- Pedestrian collisions are the most common fatal alcohol-impaired accidents (170 out of 522 fatal accidents in 2015).
- The majority of fatal alcohol-related crashes in New Jersey occur on state and county roads. New Jersey’s interstates see relatively few fatal drunk driving accidents (32 fatal accidents in 2015).
- Drivers in their twenties and between the ages of 50 and 64 are the most likely to cause fatal alcohol-related accidents. Teenage drivers account for a smaller, but not insignificant, percentage of drunk driving fatalities (59 fatal accidents in 2015).
- Drunk driving fatalities cost New Jersey taxpayers an estimated $992 million every year.
- According to a CDC study, 1.5 percent of New Jersey drivers report driving after having too much to drink at least once within the past 30 days. This is slightly lower than the national average of 1.9 percent.
United States DUI/DWI Statistics
On a national level, according to the most recent data from the Department of Law & Public Safety:
- Approximately 30 percent of fatal crashes on weekends involve alcohol, compared to 15 percent of fatal crashes during the week.
- Motorcycle riders have the highest rate of alcohol-involved fatalities (27 percent), followed by car and truck drivers (23 percent and 22 percent, respectively).
- Drivers between the age of 21 and 24 are the most likely to cause a fatal alcohol-involved accident.
- More than one million drivers are arrested for alcohol and drug-related traffic offenses annually.
- Fatal drunk driving accidents are on the rise.
Discuss Your Case with an Experienced New Jersey DUI/DWI Defense Lawyer
These statistics mean that prosecutors in New Jersey are seeking harsh penalties against drivers charged with DUI/DWI. As a result, if you have been arrested for drunk driving in New Jersey, you need an experienced attorney on your side. To discuss your case with a DUI/DWI defense lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A., call 1-877-435-6371 or request a free confidential consultation online today.
