Drunk driving deaths in Pennsylvania are on the decline | State

Injuries, however, have decreased significantly, from 6,589 in 2016 to 4,917 in 2020, a 25% decrease.

Reducing the number of drunk drivers has enormous benefits. “Although alcohol-related crashes accounted for approximately 7% of all crashes in 2020, they accounted for 26% of all fatal crashes,” the PA DUI Association noted.

The problem of youth in general.

Although the number of drunk drivers under the age of 21 has increased in recent years, the youngest drivers are not the most likely to die in alcohol-related crashes. Instead, they are drivers aged 31-35, as well as drivers aged 26-30. These two groups are responsible for 80% of driver deaths in alcohol-related crashes.

In general, drivers aged 21-35 were the most involved in alcohol-related accidents.

However, on the bright side, the number of underage and drunk drivers involved in accidents has dropped dramatically. In 2011, there were 943 accidents involving drivers under the influence of alcohol and minors. By 2020, there were only 441 accidents.

Nationally, things are relatively good in Pennsylvania. this 39th in an accident while driving while intoxicated and followed the general trend of decreasing accident fatality rates.

Preventing drunk driving injuries and deaths depends on several factors.

Police control is one aspect. “DUI checkpoints consistently found to reduce crashes,” one research found, and it included non-alcohol-related crashes.

Cultural beliefs also matter.

“Increases in factors related to anti-alcohol societal norms, values, attitudes, and beliefs were associated with decreases in alcohol-related crashes at the county level,” said Richard J. Stringer, professor of sociology and criminal justice at Kennesaw State University. argued. “In contrast, measures related to pro-alcohol factors were associated with an increase in alcohol-related crashes.”

Something overlooked can also play a role: street design.

“Road design has a profound effect on how people drive and often has a greater impact on driver behavior than speed limits,” said Steve Davis of Smart Growth America. noted. If roads and streets have fewer speed barriers or are free of pedestrians and cyclists, they are at greater risk.