Updated on: 2/17/2020
Drunk driving accounted for 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States in 2009 and presented a cost of $51 billion to American taxpayers. Every year, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) presents rankings for each state based on DUI fatality rates and implementation of drunk driving countermeasures.
This infographic illustrates how Washington State compares to others throughout the country, as well as the financial burden that drunk driving places on society as a whole.
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Washington State DUI Laws
Under Washington State law, anyone operating a motor vehicle is deemed to have given consent to a breath or blood test in order to determine if the driver is under the influence of alcohol or any other drug(s).
National DUI Statistics
There are approximately four times as many alcohol-related traffic fatalities at night as there are during the day. (Source: NHTSA.gov)
In 2009, 32 percent of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. involved an alcohol-impaired driver. (Source: CDC.gov)
In 2009, 43 percent of motorcyclists who died in traffic accidents had a BAC over the legal limit of .08 (Source: NHTSA.gov)
Although alcohol-related deaths declined by 4.9 percent in 2010, 31 percent of all traffic fatalities involved alcohol that year. (Source: NHTSA.gov)
In the U.S., approximately 30 people die each day in traffic accidents involving an alcohol-impaired driver – about one death every 48 minutes. (Source: CDC.gov)
Financial burden to society – alcohol-related crashes have an annual cost of over $51 billion. (Source: CDC.gov)
In 2009, approximately half of passengers 14 and younger who were killed in an alcohol-related crash were riding in the vehicle with the alcohol-impaired driver. (Source: CDC.gov)
Washington State DUI Statistics
Note: In 2009, MADD rated Washington State 3 out of 5 possible stars for its implementation of drunk driving countermeasures; there have recently been amendments to state DUI laws that will likely improve Washington’s rating.
In 2010, there were 170 alcohol-related traffic fatalities in Washington State – an 18 percent decrease from the 207 fatalities in 2009. (Source: MADD)
In 2010, 37 percent of all traffic accident fatalities in Washington State involved an alcohol-impaired driver. (Source: MADD)
There were a reported 19,783 three-time DUI offenders in the State of Washington in 2010. (Source: MADD)
Drunk driving fatalities cost the state $935 million in 2010. (Source: MADD)
