States with the highest percentage of fatal collisions involving drunk driving from 2019 to 2023 have been named the deadliest, with Indiana ranking fifth from bottom. Photo by Michael Förtsch, Unsplash.

News Release

NEW YORK — Indiana has been named the fifth-least likely state for drunk driving to cause fatal crashes. Drunk driving is a growing problem; in 2023, there was an alcohol related death on the roads every 42 minutes, with one-third of all road traffic deaths being attributed to alcohol.

In light of this, a new study has identified the states with the highest and lowest rates of fatal crashes involving drunk drivers, to highlight road safety and potential risks during the busy summer months.

The research, conducted by healthcare publisher Recovered, analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on fatal collisions involving one or more drivers over the legal blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.08%.

The following states with the highest percentage of fatal collisions involving drunk driving from 2019 to 2023 — the most recent available data — have been named the deadliest, with Indiana ranking fifth from bottom:

Worst States For Collisions Due To Drunk Driving

Montana is the most dangerous state for driving under the influence. Out of 957 fatal crashes that took place between 2019 and 2023, nearly one-third, or 32.2%, involved a drunk driver.

North Dakota is second, reporting a total of 461 fatal crashes between 2019 and 2023, with 134, or 29.1%, involving a drunk driver.

New Hampshire ranks third, with 28.9% of deadly crashes involving drunk drivers. In total, the state recorded 553 fatal crashes from 2019 to 2023, with 160 involving drunk driving.

Rhode Island follows in fourth place. Out of the state’s 298 fatal collisions, 83, or 27.9%, involved drunk drivers between 2019 and 2023.

Connecticut is next, with 1,417 fatal collisions taking place between 2019 and 2023, of which 357, or 25.2%, involved drunk drivers.

States With The Fewest Collisions Due To Drunk Driving

Mississippi has seen the fewest collisions due to drunk driving, with 8.2% of fatal crashes involving drunk driving. Between 2019 and 2023, there were 3,268 fatal crashes in the state, with 269 involving drunk drivers.

Arizona has the second-lowest rate of fatal drunk driving incidents, with 9.9% of fatal crashes involving a drunk driver. In total, the state recorded 5,313 fatal crashes, of which 526 were as a result of drunk driving.

Following next is New York, which recorded 609 out of a total of 5,070 deadly collisions between 2019 and 2023 involving a drunk driver, which equates to 12%. This rate is 68.4% below the US’s average.

Georgia is in fourth place, with 12.6% of fatal crashes involving a drunk driver, which is 7.7% below the national average. The state reported a total of 7,735 fatal crashes from 2019 to 2023, with 977 involving drunk drivers.

Indiana ranks fifth, reporting a total of 4,155 fatal crashes, with 562 involving a drunk driver — 13.5%. This rate is 15.5% below the US’s average.

This campaign examined Fatality Analysis Reporting System crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It considered the number of fatal collisions caused by one or more drivers over the legal blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.08% during a post-crash alcohol test from 2019 to 2023.

This is the legal limit in every state except for Utah, which is lower at 0.05%, but the higher figure was used to ensure consistent comparison between states.