Everyone knows that drunk driving is a risky choice that can have life altering consequences, and it’s no surprise that DUIs are more problematic in some areas than in others. To get a better idea of where you’re most likely to run into a drunk driver or in which state you’re more likely to pay out of pocket as a taxpayer for drunk driving related expenses, the website CarInsuranceComparison.com examined numerous bits of information.
The information was categorized into two sub-categories; DUI Penalties and Types of Drunk Driving Laws. Each state was ranked based on the following information:
- Cost per Fatality by State (Drunk Driving Fatalities per 1,000,000 Population and Taxpayer Subsidy per Drunk Driving Fatality by State) – 35% of the total score.
- Drunk Driving (Percentage of Fatal Crashes that Involved Alcohol) – 10% of the total score.
- DUI Arrests (Arrests of Minors and Adults that were Driving Under the Influence (“DUI”) related per 1,000,000 Population) – 25% of the total score.
- DUI Penalties (State Penalties for 1st-time DUI Offenders and Repeat DUI Offenders ranked against the Nation’s Average Penalties) – 20% of the total score
- Laws/Statutes (Percentage of Drunk Driving Fatalities by State per State’s amount of Drunk Driving Laws and Statutes) – 10% of the total score.
The findings were then compiled to give each state a total score.
Safest and Most Dangerous States For Drunk Driving
After stacking the states up against one another, researchers were able to get a better idea of which states had the safest and most dangerous roads. Minnesota finished 47th on the list, meaning it is the 5th safest state in the nation (DC included). The only states that were safer were Utah, Indiana, Florida and Georgia. Here’s a closer look at the 10 states with the safest and riskiest roads.
Top 10 Safest States For Avoiding Drunk Drivers
1. Utah
2. Indiana
2. Florida
4. Georgia
5. Minnesota
6. Alaska
7. Delaware
8. Washington D.C.
9. Illinois
10. Oregon
Top 10 Riskiest States For Being Involved With A Drunk Driver
1. North Dakota
2. Montana
3. Idaho
4. Wisconsin
5. South Carolina
6. South Dakota
7. Pennsylvania
8. New Mexico
9. Rhode Island
10. Vermont
For more information about the study, or to see expanded data sets, click here.
