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Drunk driving deaths by state, 2024

How many people died in crashes where at least one driver was at or over the .08 limit, and how large a share of each state's traffic deaths that is.

By Serdar Arslan, editor · Last reviewed · How we research

In 2024 there were 11,904 deaths in crashes with a driver at .08 BAC or higher in the United States, 30% of all traffic deaths. The share was highest in Vermont (41%), Texas (40%) and South Carolina (40%), and lowest in Alaska (19%). By count, Texas (1,676), California (1,311) and Florida (769) had the most, and the five largest totals add up to 39% of the national figure. 19 of the 50 states were above the national share.

Share of each state's traffic deaths, highest first

The thin black line marks the United States figure (30%).

  1. 1Vermont41% (24)
  2. 2Texas40% (1,676)
  3. 3South Carolina40% (417)
  4. 4Ohio37% (424)
  5. 5Rhode Island37% (19)
  6. 6Montana36% (75)
  7. 7Oklahoma35% (225)
  8. 8Kansas35% (117)
  9. 9Arizona34% (419)
  10. 10Connecticut34% (105)
  11. 11California34% (1,311)
  12. 12Iowa33% (119)
  13. 13Hawaii33% (34)
  14. 14Wisconsin33% (197)
  15. 15Nevada33% (138)
  16. 16Oregon33% (178)
  17. 17Washington33% (239)
  18. 18Wyoming32% (34)
  19. 19West Virginia30% (78)
  20. 20Idaho30% (72)
  21. 21North Dakota30% (27)
  22. 22Nebraska30% (75)
  23. 23Colorado30% (204)
  24. 24South Dakota29% (43)
  25. 25New Hampshire29% (39)
  26. 26Maryland29% (167)
  27. 27Alabama29% (277)
  28. 28Illinois29% (338)
  29. 29New Mexico28% (115)
  30. 30Michigan28% (306)
  31. 31Tennessee28% (332)
  32. 32North Carolina28% (449)
  33. 33Maine28% (49)
  34. 34Massachusetts28% (100)
  35. 35Missouri28% (263)
  36. 36Virginia27% (252)
  37. 37New York27% (300)
  38. 38Utah26% (73)
  39. 39Pennsylvania26% (290)
  40. 40Arkansas26% (154)
  41. 41Louisiana26% (192)
  42. 42Delaware25% (32)
  43. 43Indiana25% (209)
  44. 44Florida25% (769)
  45. 45Kentucky24% (169)
  46. 46Georgia23% (325)
  47. 47Minnesota23% (109)
  48. 48Mississippi23% (171)
  49. 49New Jersey22% (150)
  50. 50Alaska19% (13)

How these numbers are counted

NHTSA does not have a test result for every driver, so these are its published estimates of deaths in crashes where the highest driver blood alcohol concentration was .08 or more. The person who died may have been the drinking driver, a passenger, someone in another vehicle or a pedestrian. Shares are our calculation: the count divided by the state's total traffic deaths in NHTSA's tables. Small states can move several points from one year to the next because the counts are small. Recent-year figures can be revised.

What it means for a claim

An impaired driver changes a claim in practical ways. A criminal case often runs alongside the insurance claim, and its police reports and test results can be evidence of fault. Some states allow extra damages meant to punish, which insurers treat differently from ordinary damages. Read wrongful death claims, how to get the police report and uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, which often matter when the at-fault driver's policy is small.

More state data

Sources

  1. NHTSA FARS: Persons killed by highest driver blood alcohol concentration, by state
  2. NHTSA FARS: State crashes and all victims
  3. NHTSA – Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)