How drunk driving fatalities in California compare to the rest of the US

There were an estimated 42,795 fatalities due to motor vehicle crashes in 2022, down by 0.3% from the year prior, according to early estimates released in April 2023 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While a reduction in crash-related deaths, even one as slight as this, is generally positive, the facts remain deeply concerning: Crash-related deaths rose more than 10% in 2021 and more than 7% the year before that, marking a disturbing trend leading into and persisting through the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, the most recent full year of traffic-death data available, drunken driving fatalities rose by 14% from 2020. Monge and Associates cited data from NHTSA to identify states with the highest rate of fatalities from car accidents involving at least one drunken driver. States are ranked by drunken driving fatalities per 100,000 residents. This rate is listed up to its first decimal point, but the exact ranking of states was determined from the total rate calculation, which did not result in ties.

A blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher is considered impaired. Judgment and driving abilities continue to worsen as BAC levels increase. Laws adopted between 1982 and 1997 throughout most of the U.S. successfully decreased the proportion of DUI-related motor vehicle fatalities in subsequent years.

Alternative transportation programs have also shown some promise in helping to deter drunken driving. Even in areas lacking robust transit options, recent studies suggest that alternatives such as rideshare services like Uber and Lyft can reduce drunken driving-related collisions.

Keep reading to see what percentage of car crash deaths in California involved drunken driving and how it compares to the 49 other states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. See the ranking of all 52 states and territories here.

California by the numbers

#22 lowest

- Drunken driving fatalities per 100k residents: 3.5 (1,370, 32% of all car crash fatalities)
- Fatalities involving driver with BAC 0.15 and above: 2.2 per 100K (880, 64.2% of all drunken driving fatalities)
- Change in drunken driving fatalities from 2012: 65.3% increase

Continue below to see drunk driving statistics of other states in your region.

Arizona by the numbers

#9 highest

- Drunken driving fatalities per 100k residents: 5.8 (421, 36% of all car crash fatalities)
- Fatalities involving driver with BAC 0.15 and above: 3.8 per 100K (275, 65.3% of all drunken driving fatalities)
- Change in drunken driving fatalities from 2012: 83% increase

Nevada by the numbers

#25 highest

- Drunken driving fatalities per 100k residents: 3.7 (116, 30% of all car crash fatalities)
- Fatalities involving driver with BAC 0.15 and above: 2.5 per 100K (80, 69% of all drunken driving fatalities)
- Change in drunken driving fatalities from 2012: 36.5% increase