Why People Turn to Alcohol and Drug Rehabs
Several years ago, drunk driving was a hot topic. Thankfully, groups like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) were formed to combat an epidemic of drunk-driving deaths. Since then, the subject has been overtaken by other forms of addiction. However, there are still lives being impacted by drunk driving today.
Physicians discuss a variety of health and safety concerns with their patients, but drunk driving isn’t high on the list of worries, unfortunately. Here are seven reasons why information about drunk driving should continue to be a topic among doctors, their patients, and the community.
Drunk Driving Facts and Statistics Every Doctor Should Know
The stats below are updated using the most recent NHTSA/FARS national data (2023) plus NHTSA’s Thanksgiving holiday fact sheets.
Thanksgiving is a high-risk driving period. During the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday period (6 p.m. Wednesday–5:59 a.m. Monday), 174 people died in drunk-driving crashes (BAC .08+). From 2019 to 2023, the total was 868 deaths.
On Thanksgiving Eve 2023, 92 drivers were involved in fatal crashes—and 33% were drunk (BAC .08+).
The U.S., per se legal BAC limit is still high compared to some countries. Every U.S. state has an illegal per se limit of .08 g/dL, except Utah, at .05 (since Dec 30, 2018); commercial driving is .04. Sweden’s limit is .02%, and Norway’s is 0.2 g/L (0.02%).
National impact (U.S., 2023):12,429 people were killed in crashes involving at least one alcohol-impaired driver (BAC .08+)—30% of all U.S. traffic fatalities. That’s one death every 42 minutes (about 34 per day).
High-BAC crashes drive much of the mortality: In 2023, 67% of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities happened in crashes where at least one driver had a BAC of .15+.
Who’s most represented in fatal-crash impaired driving (2023): The 21–24 age group had the highest percentage (28%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes, followed by 25–34 (26%). Males had a higher percentage (22%) than females (16%).
Practical clinical takeaway: Encourage patients to plan a sober ride before drinking (designated driver who doesn’t drink, rideshare, taxi, or staying over). Reinforce that “below .08” does not mean “safe to drive,” and when in doubt, don’t drive.
Next Steps
In addition to providing your patients with facts about drunk driving, recommend a few tools they can use if they are unsure about driving. Recommend a blood alcohol content calculator, steering wheel lock, or Breathalyzer. Parents may be particularly interested in installing an alcohol detection-locking device, which requires the driver to pass a Breathalyzer test before he or she can start the ignition. Portable breathalyzers as small as a key ring fob are available for online purchase.
Encourage patients who have an alcohol-use disorder to reach out to Recovery Centers of America for an alcohol and drug rehab program. Call 1-800-RECOVERY to refer a patient.
