How Often Is Drinking Involved in Fatal Accidents?

On average, one person is killed every 53 minutes in a drunk driving accident in the US. Drinking is found to be involved in nearly a third of all traffic deaths in the US. Additionally, a third of drinking-related traffic accidents are caused by repeat offenders, meaning those who drink and drive are somewhat likely to continue the habit. On average each year in America, about 1 in 2000 drivers are operating under the influence of alcohol on a given trip. With about 230 billion car trips taken each year in the US, these statistics suggest that drinking was often involved in fatal, as well as non-fatal car accidents.

More about the effects of alcohol on the body:

• Up to 24 hours after becoming intoxicated, the body's immune system may still lack the ability to properly ward off infections.
• Moderate use of alcohol may reduce the risk of heart disease in both men and women.
• Heavy alcohol consumption can lead to problems with many organs of the body, including the brain, heart, liver and pancreas.