Drunk driving is a problem for everyone, causing almost a third of all traffic fatalities and ruining thousands of lives each year. The problem is much worse in some states, however, as a new study from the Simmrin Law Group showed that South Carolina had the highest rate of drunk driving-related deaths in 2022.
The firm’s study found that southern states are the worst for drunk driving, taking four of the “top 10” spots in the ranking. It assigned an overall score out of a possible 100 points based on total traffic fatalities, the number of alcohol-impaired fatalities, the percentage of drunk drivers, and more.
10 worst states for drunk driving deaths:
- South Carolina: 100 overall score
- Texas: 84
- New Mexico: 81
- Wyoming: 74
- Montana: 72
- Arizona: 70
- Oregon: 70
- Louisiana: 65
- Mississippi: 64
- Alabama: 61
In South Carolina, a whopping 43% percent of traffic fatalities are due to drunk driving, much higher than the national average of 32%, and 8.82 people per 100,000 residents were killed in drunk-driving crashes. Second-place Texas saw 42% of fatal crashes caused by drunk drivers.
More than 13,500 people were killed by drunk drivers in 2022, but some states contributed much less to that total. Utah had the lowest percentage of drunk driving-related fatalities, at 22%. New Jersey, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York were the next-best in the rankings. Simmrim Law Group said that the Northeast states likely had fewer drunk driving deaths due to more accessible public transportation and stricter drunk driving laws.
Though interestingly, none of the states ranking worst on the list have particularly lenient DUI laws. Arizona is considered to have some of the strictest laws in the country, with a first offense costing the driver 10 days in jail and fines of at least $1,250. They also must install an ignition interlock device and submit to drug/alcohol counseling. Drivers caught with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 or higher have to do 30 days in jail and pay $2,500 for a first offense.
