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About Alcohol Related Accidents

An alarming number of accidents--both on the road and in the workplace--are caused by alcohol abuse and dependence. Alcohol not only causes accidents, but it also makes them more difficult to survive. Blood clotting and the cough reflex can both be impaired by alcohol. Alcohol can also reduce you ability to feel pain, leaving you with an injury needing medical treatment.

  1. Fatalities

    • Motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol kill 36 people every day in the United States alone. Worldwide, it is estimated that 71 people die every day in alcohol-related crashes.

    The Cost

    • Drivers who are under the influence are estimated to cost United States tax payers between 20 billion and 24 billion dollars.

    Sobriety Checkpoints

    • Alcohol-related crashes drop by 20 percent when sobriety checkpoints are frequently established. Even long-standing checkpoints continue to act as a deterrent.

    Workplace Accidents

    • Alcohol testing in the workplace has been shown to reduce injuries and deaths resulting from on-the-job accidents. The testing also reduces sexual harassment, employee theft and turnover.

    Accident Types

    • Alcohol is a factor in approximately 25 percent of all on-the-job accidents, 14 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes and 30 percent of all pedestrian accidents. Drownings, falls and burns are frequently related to alcohol consumption.

    Defining "Alcohol Related"

    • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines an alcohol-related accident as any accident in which an actively involved party has a blood alcohol level of .01 grams per deciliter or more. This means that accidents in which drunk pedestrians and cyclists are hit by sober car drivers are considered to be alcohol-related. They are included in alcohol-related accident statistics.

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