Drunk Driving Deaths on the Decline in Florida

While some laws are the same regarding DUIs among each state, the penalties can differ. For example, the drinking age in every state is 21. The legal limit in every state is 0.08%. After that, the penalties can vary greatly. For example, Wyoming, the state with the highest DUI death rate, requires a license suspension after the first DUI. Montana has the second highest DUI death rate. The states with the least number of DUI fatalities may be surprising. New Jersey has the least DUI fatalities and New York comes in at number two.

According to WJCT, drunk driving deaths are down in Florida. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says there were 3,133 people killed in car accidents in Florida during 2018. Of those, 814 were related to drunk driving.

The previous year, of the 3,116 deaths, 841 were alcohol related. Both numbers decreased compared to 2017.

According to the NHTSA, drunken driving fatalities as a whole are down nationwide. A report showed a 3.6% decrease, which is the lowest number since the agency started keeping records of alcohol-related traffic deaths in 1982.

Although this is a promising statistic, it bears keeping in mind that drunken driving is still a major hazard, claiming over 10,500 lives annually.

In order to combat driving that is impaired by alcohol or drugs, the NHTSA gave away more than $100,000 to states through the Governors Highway Safety Association. The money is being used by law enforcement agencies to provide training for officers to be better able to recognize the signs of drunken driving.