The Deadly Cost Of Drunk & Impaired Driving In St. Louis, Missouri

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol puts every road user at risk and has enormous costs both for victims of car accidents in St. Louis and Missouri and for their families. Let’s take a look at a few statistics that show the deadly cost of drunk and impaired driving in Missouri.

1. Missouri Has One Of The Highest Rates Of DUI Fatalities, Though It’s Decreasing

In the year 2000, Missouri had one of the highest rates of DUI fatalities of any state in America, with 432 fatalities. At the time, this was the 9th highest number of drunk driving fatalities in the nation.

However, by 2017, this number had dropped significantly to 254. While this is encouraging, Missouri still had the 14th highest number of fatal drunk driving accidents in the country. 

2. A Total Of 3,314 People Died Due To Impaired Driving In Missouri Between 2003-2012

According to the most recently-available CDC data, 3,314 people were killed by impaired driving in Missouri between the time period of 2003-2012. This puts the rate of death related to DUI at 4.8 out of 100,000, which is higher than the national average of 3.3 out of 100,000.

The rate of death related to DUI was even higher for people between the ages of 21-34. The rate of death in Missouri was 9.5 out of 100,000 for these individuals, compared to the nationwide rate of deaths of 6.7 out of 100,000.

3. 16% Of Fatal Crashes In 2018 Were Related To Alcohol 

According to Jim Carpenter of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 16% of fatal crashes in Missouri in 2018 were alcohol-related and could have been avoided if one or more involved individuals were not under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants.

4. The Annual Cost Of DUI Crashes Is $44 Billion Nationwide 

According to the CDC, the annual cost of driving while impaired is more than $44 billion nationwide. According to the NHTSA, the average yearly economic cost of all auto accidents is $252 billion. That means that nearly 18% of all of the costs of car accidents are related to drunk or impaired drivers.

In addition, DUI crashes are fatal or cause life-threatening injuries at a much higher rate than other types of accidents. That’s why it’s very important to contact a St. Louis car accident lawyer if you’ve been involved in a DUI accident and were not at fault.

Know The Cost Of Driving Under The Influence & Get The Compensation You Deserve! 

Driving under the influence in Missouri is a huge problem, despite recent improvements in DUI rates. And if you or someone you love has been involved in an accident caused by a drunk driver in St. Louis or Missouri, your life could be changed permanently. Protect your legal right to compensation by speaking with an experienced attorney as soon as possible after a car accident involving a drunk driver.