All states enact penalties for drunk driving because alcohol can slow response times and impair the judgment of drivers. Drunk driving stats put into perspective just how much of a problem drunk driving is in Mississippi and around the country.
DUI stats overview
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that around 28 people die in DUI accidents daily. Two out of three people are at risk of getting into a drunk driving crash during their lifetime. Repeat offenders make up about 29% of DUI arrests, and one in eight involved in fatal crashes have a prior conviction.
One study assessed the attitudes of 1,500 Americans in 2021, and more people believed that drinking had a strong impact on them than in 2020. The Center for Disease Control reports that drunk driving crashes cost more than $44 billion in damages annually. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that fatal drunk driving crashes occur at a rate of 31% over the weekend.
Age, gender and location DUI stats
Drivers in the 21-to-24 age group cause 27% of fatal drunk driving crashes, followed by 25- to 34-year-olds. Around 29% of participants in one survey think that 16- to 24-year-olds are at a high risk of driving drunk. Men are involved in fatal DUI crashes at four times the rate of women, making up 80% of cases.
The Mountain and Midwest regions of the United States are more prone to drunk driving accidents. North Dakota had the most DUIs in 2021 at 4.96% followed by Wyoming at 4.68% and South Dakota at 4.37%.
Getting charged with a DUI has serious consequences, potentially including jail, hefty fines and license revocation. Mississippi commonly doesn’t allow plea bargains for DUI, but there are valid defenses a driver can use to fight the charges.
