Rhode Island Drunk Driving Statistics

Each year drunk drivers endanger the lives of thousands of people across the United States. When a person gets behind the wheel while intoxicated, they put themselves, their passengers, other drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, and other road users at risk of being involved in a fatal accident. Statistics show that, across the country, drunk drivers are responsible for a large portion of the total vehicle fatalities each year.

On average, about 30% of all traffic fatalities that occur annually in the United States are alcohol-related. According to rankings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Rhode Island has one of the worst drunk driving records in the nation. Of all of the traffic fatalities that occur in Rhode Island each year, approximately 45% of those are alcohol-related, well above the national average. Since 1982 Rhode Island has consistently ranked higher than the national average for alcohol-related fatalities, falling between 41% and 67% annually.

This information on Rhode Island’s lackluster drunk driving record has resulted in initiatives to increase statewide penalties for DUI arrests. Rhode Island already has more serious penalties than the majority of other states, including mandatory license suspension, heavy fines, community service, an educational course, probation or jail time, and more. Heavier penalties would mean that even first time offenders are dealt a serious blow that could seriously damage their personal, professional, educational, and financial opportunities.

Contact Us

If you have been arrested for a DUI, you face a number of severe penalties that could affect your life in both the short-term and long-term. For sound legal advice and assistance with your DUI case, don’t hesitate to contact aggressive, experienced Rhode Island DUI lawyer Matthew Marin today at 401-287-4384.