Question of the Month -
December 2005

Q:

What are the latest estimates of alcohol-involved traffic fatalitites in the SLC states?  How do the latest numbers compare to statistics from two decades ago?
A:

The Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration released information on traffic fatalities in November 2005.   Alcohol-related traffic fatalities increased across the region by 8.3 percent over the past two decades (nationally, the rate declined by 3 percent).  Within the region, only four states experienced declines in the number of these fatalities, with Oklahoma scoring a remarkable 26.6 percent drop followed by Louisiana and Texas.  The greatest increase in alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the region was in South Carolina, where incidents rose 43.3 percent, followed by Alabama and Georgia.  The table below provides a state-by-state comparison and ranking of the percent change. 

SLC State

1982

2004

Percent Difference

1982 to 2004 Percent Change Rank

Alabama

839

1154

37.5%

2

Arkansas

550

704

28.0%

4

Florida

2653

3244

22.3%

7

Georgia

1229

1634

33.0%

3

Kentucky

822

964

17.3%

10

Louisiana

1091

904

-17.1%

15

Maryland

640

643

0.5%

12

Mississippi

730

900

23.3%

6

Missouri

890

1130

27.0%

5

North Carolina

1303

1557

19.5%

9

Oklahoma

1054

774

-26.6%

16

South Carolina

730

1046

43.3%

1

Tennessee

1055

1288

22.1%

8

Texas

4213

3583

-15.0%

14

Virginia

881

925

5.0%

11

West Virginia

450

411

-8.7%

13

 

 

 

 

 

SLC Total

21112

22865

8.3%

 

United States

43945

42636

-3.0%

 

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, November 2005

Notes:   An involved driver or nonoccupant is considered alcohol-related if he/she is involved in a fatal crash and exhibits a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .01 or greater. A fatality is considered alcohol-related if any driver or nonoccupant involved in the crash had a positive BAC. Nationwide, in 2004, alcohol was involved in 39 percent of all traffic fatalities. Among the SLC states, South Carolina showed the highest percentage increase (43 percent) between 1982 and 2004 for alcohol-related fatalities. Oklahoma showed the sharpest decline (27 percent) during the same period.