Driving under the influence can not only lead to an arrest and conviction, but it can also be fatal for the drunk driver or any other driver unfortunate enough to encounter them on the road. In fact, more than 37,000 people die on US roads each year, and many of those deaths can be attributed to a driver being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. And while we know that Minnesota doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to drivers with a DUI on their record, a new report shows that you’re much less likely to be involved in a fatal DUI crash in Minnesota compared to almost all other states in the US.
In today’s blog, we take a closer look at a recent study that examined fatal DUI rates by state in the US.
Fatal DUI Rates Across The US
To get a better understanding of the deadly states for drunk driving, researchers at SmartAsset took a look at the most recent data made available by the National Highway Traffic Safety administration to calculate the number of vehicle-caused fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles driven by individuals in the state. Here’s a closer look at the five safest and five deadliest states in the US for drunk driving-related fatal automobile accidents.
The Five Safest States
1. Massachusetts
2. Minnesota
3. Vermont
4. New Jersey
5. New Hampshire
You may be surprised to learn that Minnesota is actually the second safest state in the US in terms of fatal drunk driving automobile crash risk, especially when you consider that the state has an average of 5.86 DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers, at rate which puts us in the top five for most DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers. However, be it because police are more vigilent or sheer luck, Minnesota appears to be very low risk for fatal DUI crashes.
According to the data, there were only 0.60 fatalities per 100 million miles driven in Minnesota, trailing only Massachusetts at 0.51 per 100 million miles driven. Here’s a look at five five deadliest states of DUI crashes:
5. Wyoming
4. Kentucky
3. New Mexico
2. Mississippi
1. South Carolina
According to the data, South Carolina is the worst state for fatal drunk driving crashes, with a rate of 1.73 fatal DUI crashes per 100 million miles driven, meaning you’re about three times are likely to die in a drunk driving crash in South Carolina than you are in Minnesota!
As always, if you or someone you love ends up in a sticky situation because they got behind the wheel when they were drunk, make sure you reach out to an experienced criminal defense firm. At Appelman Law Firm, we service the greater Twin Cities area, so if you’re arrested in Eagan, Burnsville or anywhere in between, give us a call and let us help you. (952) 224-2277.
