The 9 States with the Highest Drunk Driving Rates

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Nationally, 1.9% of adults admit to driving while drunk at least once in the past 30 days. These states have rates even higher than the national average.

Memorial Day is a time to remember the sacrifices of veterans, but it’s also become known as a long weekend and the unofficial start of summer.

However, Memorial Day is also an important time to think about the problem of drunk driving. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 people die each day as a result of auto accidents in which a driver was impaired by alcohol. In fact, a 2012 survey found 1.9% of Americans admitted that they had driven after drinking “too much” within the past 30 days.

The problem is particularly pronounced among younger adults. One-third of drivers who were involved in fatal crashes and were found to have been drunk were between the ages of 21 and 24 years old. Another 29% were in the 25-29 age group.

The CDC has been working to raise awareness of the issue. They believe stiffer penalties would cause more people to think twice before drinking and driving. Police are also on the case, with many local departments stepping up enforcement over the holiday weekend.

What follows is a state-level look at the problem of drunk driving, highlighting the 9 states with the highest rates of adults who admit to drunk driving. The rankings below use data from the 2012 CDC report. The list includes the percentage of adults who admitted to drunk driving within the 30 days before the survey, along with state death numbers and death rates.