In an average year 30 million Americans drive drunk – 10 million drive impaired by illicit drugs.

The Holidays bring gatherings of friends and family, merriment and joy.  In order to gather, people drive, on public streets, with you, with me, with our children and loved ones.  Did you know, as many as 17 %  of the drivers on the road are driving impaired? That is almost 2 out of every 10 cars on the road.

Past year drunk driving rates topped 20 percent in some states. 

The survey’s state-by-state breakdown of drunk and drugged driving levels shows significant differences among the states.  The one bright spot in the survey is that there has been a reduction in the rate of drunk and drugged driving in the past few years.  Survey data from 2002 through 2005 combined when compared to data gathered from 2006 to 2009 combined indicate that the average yearly rate of drunk driving has declined from 14.6 percent to 13.2 percent, while the average yearly rate of drugged driving has decreased from 4.8 percent to 4.3 percent.  Twelve states have seen reductions in the levels of drunk driving and seven states have experienced lower levels of drugged driving.

 

A new survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) indicates that on average 13.2 percent of all persons 16 or older drove under the influence of alcohol and 4.3 percent of this age group drove under the influence of illicit drugs in the past year.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) census, one in three motor vehicle fatalities (33 percent) with known drug test results tested positive for drugs in 2009.

“Thousands of people die each year as a result of drunk and drugged driving, and the lives of thousands of family members and friends left behind are forever scarred,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “Some progress has been made in reducing the levels of drunk and drugged driving through education, enhanced law enforcement and public outreach efforts. However, the nation must continue to work to prevent this menace and confront these dangerous drivers in an aggressive way.” 
Don’t let a friend, a family member or yourself drive drunk.  Call a cab.  It works.