Kansas law enforcement takes drunken driving very seriously year round because of the unacceptable toll it takes on lives and property. Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. is a national campaign organized by NHTSA, which focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness efforts. The campaign is designed to remind motorists that impaired driving is no accident, and will not be dealt with lightly.
Impaired driving continues to be a social scourge that kills and maims thousands of Americans every year. Every hour, drivers are arrested for driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated and for many, this will not be their first offense. Nationwide, one person every 39 minutes, approximately 37 people a day, or more than 13,000 people each year die in traffic crashes involving a vehicle driver or a motorcycle operator with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, which is the legal limit across all of the United States.
The Problem
Statewide in 2007 there were 3,292 alcohol-related crashes that resulted in 118 deaths and 1,944 injuries.
28.8% of all fatal traffic crashes were alcohol-related.
Kansas averages 10 alcohol-related crashes each day.
Two out of five Kansans will be involved in alcohol-related crashes sometime in their lives.
Costs
Alcohol is a factor in 23% of Kansas’ crash costs. Alcohol-related crashes in Kansas cost the public an estimated $0.9 billion in 2000, including $0.4 billion in monetary costs and almost $0.5 billion in quality of life losses. (For definitions of the cost categories, see the definitions fact sheet.) Alcohol-related crashes are deadlier and more serious than other crashes. People other than the drinking driver paid $0.6 billion of the alcohol-related crash bill.
Costs per Alcohol-Related Injury The average alcohol-related fatality in Kansas costs $3.4 million:
• $1.1 million in monetary costs
• $2.3 million in quality of life losses
The estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash averaged $97,000:
• $48,000 in monetary costs
• $49,000 in quality of life losses
Costs per Mile Driven
Crash costs in Kansas averaged:
• $4.60 per mile driven at BACs of .10 and above
• $2.00 per mile driven at BACs between .08-.09
• $0.10 per mile driven at BACs of .00
Costs per Drink
The societal costs of alcohol-related crashes in Kansas averaged $1.00 per drink consumed. People other than the drinking driver paid $0.60 per drink. Impact on Auto Insurance Rates
Alcohol-related crashes accounted for an estimated 17% of Kansas’ auto insurance payments. Reducing alcohol-related crashes by 10% would save $20 million in claims payments and loss adjustment expenses.
What can you do…
• If you are planning to drink alcohol with friends, designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your keys
• If you are impaired, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober firend or family member to get you home safely
• Promptly report drunk drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement
• Wear your seat belt while in a car or use a helmet and protective gear when on a motorcycle as these are your best defenses against an impaired driver
• And remember, if you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
Drunk driving is simply not worth the risk. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for impaired driving can be significant. Violators face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, attorney fees, time away from work, and dozens of other expenses.
In 2007, more than one fifth (23.3 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in binge drinking at least once in the 30 days. To prevent this number from continuing to rise, April is designated “Alcohol Awareness Month.”
