Alcohol has long been known as a roadway killer. Drinking and driving kills 28 people a day in the U.S. — about one person every 52 minutes, according to the NHTSA. That is more than 10,000 lives lost each year to drunk driving.
At Jones Law Firm many of our clients have questions about drunk driving arrests and convictions. Below, we look at the statistics.
Impaired Driving Statistics
Almost every three hours in the state of Wisconsin, somebody is either injured or killed because of a drunk driver.
Alcohol played a role in 6,050 crashes across the state in 2020; 167 lives could have been saved by getting a safe and sober ride home.
While more than a quarter of all traffic deaths in 2020 involved alcohol, it is not the only intoxicant impacting safe driving in Wisconsin. Legal prescriptions and illegal drugs are also a growing problem on the roads.
Last year, 2,250 crashes in Wisconsin involved drugs, including 80 fatalities. Those numbers are up from 2019.
Impaired Driving Charges
The State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation notes that in 2019, there were 27,785 drunk driving arrests within the state.
Of the 5,957 drinking drivers involved in crashes in 2019, 318 (5%) were under age 21 and 5,639 (95%) were age 21 or older.
Of 20,956 drivers convicted of OWI in Wisconsin in 2019, 1,374 (7%) were under age 21 at the time of violation and 19,582 (93%) were age 21 or older.
The median alcohol concentration (AC) test result for 2019 OWI citations was 0.16%.
Taking into account all Wisconsin licensed drivers, 94,939 of those drivers have one OWI conviction and 147,404 have two OWI convictions.
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At Jones Law Firm we understand that alcohol is a part of many peoples everyday lives and celebrations. We hope that when you do enjoy a cocktail that you do so responsibly. Getting an OWI can have life changing consequences. If you or a loved one is charged with an OWI in Wisconsin we are here to help and have the experience you need. Contact us today to set up a free consultation. Please contact us by text or phone at (414) 775-7445 or email at laura@jlfwisconsin.com anytime.
*Any articles in the Libra or posted by Jones Law Firm LLC are not legal advice for a particular client or situation. Further no attorney-client relationship is intended or created with this post.*
