9 Illuminating Facts and Statistics to Share in Your Drunk Driving Prevention Program

Encourage safe driving habits by shedding a light on the realities of drunk driving with these facts and tools.

Every crash, injury, and death caused by drunk driving is preventable. With options like sober designated drivers, ride-sharing apps, and public transportation, there’s no reason ever to drive drunk.

Learning about the dangers and impacts of drinking and driving is one crucial way to help stop risky behavior. Keep reading for some of the startling statistics you can share in your drunk driving prevention program, as well as interactive tools and resources you can deploy to engage participants.

Facts and Figures

1. Drunk driving is still the number one cause of death on American roadways, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
2. Every two minutes, someone is hurt in an alcohol-related crash. Every 51 minutes, someone is killed.
3. In 2018, 10,511 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. That’s 29% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.
4. In 2018, 231 children age 14 or younger were killed in a drunk driving crash. In 55% of those crashes, the driver who was drunk and responsible for the crash was the same person driving the child.
5. The CDC reports that younger people are at greater risk of being involved in a drunk driving crash no matter their blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
6. Among fatal crashes in 2018, drivers ages 21 to 24 ranked as the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers, followed by those 25 to 34 years old.
7. It only takes a few drinks to impair your driving ability. A BAC of just .02 (one to two drinks, depending on the type of alcohol) can lead to a decline in how well you can see and how well you can perform two or more tasks at the same time—both of which are crucial to safe driving.
8. Drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher involved in fatal crashes were four times more likely to have prior convictions for driving while impaired (DWI). 
9. It is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 in all 50 states.

Interactive Resources

Thanks to the efforts of anti-drunk driving organizations, government agencies, and others, the number of alcohol-related crashes each year is trending downward. But there’s still a long way to go toward ending drunk driving crashes and deaths. The sobering statistics above, combined with stories from real-life friends and families impacted by drunk driving, can be powerful tools for your drunk driving prevention program.

Hands-on learning activities can also be very educational by giving participants a memorable simulation of real-life experiences to teach them what it’s like to drive impaired and push them to think twice before getting behind the wheel drunk in real life.

Alcohol impairment goggles

Fatal Vision®Alcohol Impairment Goggles simulate what it’s like to be under the influence of alcohol in a safe and educational environment. While wearing the goggles, participants immediately feel how difficult it can be to perform simple tasks such as walking a straight line, standing on one leg, or tossing a ball.

When used in conjunction with a drunk driving simulator SIDNE® drunk driving pedal kart, or other drunk goggles and alcohol awareness activities, alcohol impairment goggles can effectively demonstrate and reinforce the lessons throughout your drunk driving prevention program.

Drunk driving simulators

Our electric drunk driving simulator, SIDNE® (the Simulated Impaired Driving Experience), takes the hands-on experience one step further by demonstrating what it’s like to operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. In “alcohol-impaired’ mode, drivers and passengers can feel a loss of control, erratic acceleration and braking, lane shifts into “oncoming traffic,” delayed response time, and impaired judgment.

The Fatal Vision Roadster Pedal Kart is an extremely flexible and relatively affordable tool for your alcohol awareness program. It’s easy to use and can be operated indoors, outdoors, and even on off-road terrain.

Not sure which drunk driving simulator is right for your classroom? Check out our blog to learn more about the Roadster Pedal Kart and SIDNE® Drunk Driving Simulators.

Turn ‘N Learn Classroom Challenge

Turn ‘N Learn Classroom Challenge is an interactive game created to help players identify safe decision-making strategies and share important facts related to alcohol use and impaired driving. Group members team up to earn points by answering questions and performing tasks. The kit includes a game wheel, playing cards, a pair of alcohol impairment goggles, drowsy and distracted driving goggles, and gameplay activities.

We can help you identify the right resources and programming to help with drunk driving prevention in your school or community. Get started by calling our toll-free number 800.272.5023 or contacting us online today to explore which resources are right for your program.

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