La. Places In “Fatal Fifteen”

The Fatal Fifteen are states in which 35 percent or more of all traffic fatalities involved a driver with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher:

1.	Hawaii*	47.706%
2.	Connecticut	44.395%
3.	South Carolina*	42.170%
4.	Washington*	41.870%
5.	Rhode Island*	40.964%
6.	South Dakota	40.458%
7.	Texas*	40.215%
8.	Kansas*	39.896%
9.	District of Columbia	38.739%
10.	North Dakota*	38.571%
11.	Wisconsin*	37.968%
12.	Montana*	36.652%
13.	Louisiana*	35.932%
14.	Illinois*	35.106%
15.	Wyoming*	35.075%

The ranking is based on 2009 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Those 12 states marked by an asterisk are repeat offenders, having also appeared in last year’s Fatal Fifteen.

Driving can be dangerous during the holidays given the high number of impaired drivers on the roads. In December 2009, 753 people in the U.S. were killed in crashes that involved a driver with a BAC of .08 or higher, according to NHTSA.

“Alcohol- and other drug-related crashes can be prevented. The medical community must do more to prevent impaired driving, and so must federal and state policy makers,” Andrea G. Barthwell, M.D., said. Barthwell is CEO of Two Dreams Outer Banks, an alcohol and drug treatment program in North Carolina, and a co-chair of END.

“Health care providers must regularly test for alcohol abuse and other substance use, and refer patients with symptomatic behaviors to treatment,” Barthwell continued. END has called on health care professionals to implement, and policy makers to expand support for, screenings, brief interventions, and referrals to treatment for patients who display problematic substance-related behaviors, such as impaired driving.

END has also urged state policy makers to enact laws mandating the use of ignition locks for individuals convicted of drunk-driving offenses. Ignition locks test for alcohol on a driver’s breath before permitting the car to start.

The 10 states with the lowest number of traffic fatalities involving alcohol-impaired drivers are the following, starting with Nevada as the state with the fewest drunk-driving deaths:

1.	Nevada	11.523%
2.	Utah	16.393%
3.	Kentucky	24.526%
4.	New Jersey	25.557%
5.	Minnesota	25.653%
6.	Idaho	25.664%
7.	Georgia	25.779%
8.	Iowa	25.806%
9.	Arizona	27.138%
10.	New Hampshire	27.273%

Driving under the influence of alcohol is only one part of a larger threat to public health and safety. According to a recent NHTSA report, 33 percent of drivers involved in fatal car crashes, for which there were known test results, were under the influence of drugs. This figure included both illicit drugs and prescription medications. It is not known whether the drivers were drug-impaired at the time of the crash. END has asked states to ensure that their police accident reports include data on the levels of illegal and legal substances in drivers’ systems.

Families should take the following steps to celebrate the holidays safely:

· Know how you will get home before you go out.

· If you are impaired, do not drive. Instead, call a taxi, sober friend or family member; use public transportation; or ask the party host if you may stay the night.

· If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, help him or her make arrangements that do not involve driving.

· If you see an impaired driver on the road, pull over and call 911.

Washington, DC – In a new report on deadly automobile crashes, the physician-led Coalition to End Needless Death on Our Roadways (END) today announced its annual “Fatal Fifteen” ranking of states with the highest numbers of drunk-driving fatalities.

The announcement comes as travelers take to the road for holiday travel and make their plans to celebrate the new year.

Filed Under: Drunk Driving

Categories: Local News, National News, State News