Every year, drunk driving is responsible for too many preventable accidents and deaths. In 2013 alone, 15,530 drivers lost their lives — and over a third of them had blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels of over 0.08 (the legal driving limit). Drunk driving takes lives.
Reporting varies at the state level. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), BAC information is irregularly recorded. Some states, like West Virginia, report BAC data for 95 percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers; others, like Mississippi, do so for just 42 percent.
The team at Credio ranked the states with the highest incidences of driver deaths that involved driving over the legal limit. Using IIHS and HLDI data from 2013 (the most recent year), the following states are where the most drunk drivers with known BAC died driving above the legal limit.
Note: Only states with BAC reporting of 70 percent or higher were included in this article.
#15. New York
- Total drivers killed: 450
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 149
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 33%
#14. New Mexico
- Total drivers killed: 108
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 37
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 34%
#13. Illinois
- Total drivers killed: 471
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 158
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 34%
#12. Florida
- Total drivers killed: 885
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 297
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 34%
#11. Wisconsin
- Total drivers killed: 292
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 101
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 35%
#10. California
- Total drivers killed: 1,093
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 385
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 35%
#9. Washington
- Total drivers killed: 190
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 68
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 36%
#8. Rhode Island
- Total drivers killed: 30
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 11
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 37%
#7. Maryland
- Total drivers killed: 209
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 77
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 37%
#6. Oregon
- Total drivers killed: 164
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 63
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 38%
#5. Hawaii
- Total drivers killed: 26
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 11
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 42%
#4. Delaware
- Total drivers killed: 37
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 16
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 43%
#3. North Dakota
- Total drivers killed: 93
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 42
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 45%
#2. Montana
- Total drivers killed: 111
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 50
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 45%
#1. South Carolina
- Total drivers killed: 387
- Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 181
- Percent of drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08: 47%
Thankfully, Virginia didn’t make the top 15 list. But over 50% of the deaths in Virginia car accidents involve a drunk driver with a BAC over the legal limit. If you have been injured in a car accident with a drunk driver, you need to know your rights and recover a fair settlement for your injuries. As Virginia Personal Injury Attorneys, we help drivers recover money they are owed after an auto accident. Contact us for a free consultation.
