75 U.S. Cities with the Highest Rate of Fatal Drunk Driving Accidents

Did you know that almost one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers? In 2022, a total of 13,524 people in the U.S. were killed in a car accident where a driver had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or more. This amounts to one person killed in a drunk driving accident every 39 minutes.

To determine where the highest rate of fatal drunk driving accidents occurs in the U.S., the team at van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin & Lindheim compiled data using the NHTSA’s Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool. The study compared the number of fatal drunk driving accidents per 100,000 people in the 300 largest cities in the U.S., between 2018 and 2022. The rate is based on deadly accidents caused by impaired drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or higher, the legal BAC limit for U.S. drivers. The number of impaired drivers whose BAC was 0.15% or higher was also included to highlight the issue of aggravated drunk driving in fatal accidents. Drivers with a blood alcohol content of 0.15+ represent a large portion of the impaired drivers that were responsible for fatal drunk driving crashes during this time. Explore the sobering statistics below to see which cities across the U.S. suffer the most from deadly drunk driving accidents.

75 U.S. Cities with the Highest Rate of Fatal Drunk Driving Accidents - MTVLaw.com Drunk Driving Accident Attorney - Infographic

By MTVLaw.com

What City Has the Highest Rate of Fatal Drunk Driving Accidents?

The city with the most drunk driving accidents per capita is Odessa, Texas. Between 2018 and 2022, there were a total of 31 drunk driving accidents that resulted in fatalities, amounting to a rate of 27.46 fatal drunk driving accidents per 100,000 residents. Of the 31 drunk driving accidents, 23 were caused by impaired drivers with a blood alcohol content of 0.15% or higher The city of Odessa has a drinking and driving issue that needs to be addressed as the next highest rate for a U.S. city was 32% lower. In February 2024, over just 4 days, law enforcement in Odessa arrested and charged 20 people with impaired driving. A study also found that Texas has the most drunk drivers involved in fatal car crashes, with more than 40% of the drivers found to have a BAC level of 0.08 or higher.

The 10 Cities With the Highest Rate of Drunk Driving Accidents, per 100,000 people

Odessa, TX: 27.46
San Bernardino, CA: 18.15
Pueblo, CO: 17.94
Corona, CA: 15.04
Hartford, CT: 14.91
Midland, TX: 14.13
Dallas, TX: 13.93
Chattanooga, TN: 13.58
Detroit, MI: 13.22
Charleston, SC: 13.01

What Is the Legal BAC Limit for US Drivers?

The BAC legal limit in the United States is 0.08% for drivers 21 years or older. It is considered a crime to drive with a BAC of 0.08% or more and you can be charged with a DWI or DUI depending on the state. The BAC national standard of 0.08 was signed into law by President Clinton on October 23, 2000, after Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) led a campaign against drunk driving. The Zero Tolerance Law makes it a criminal offense for drivers under the age of 21 years to operate a vehicle with even a small amount of alcohol in their system, with state limits ranging from 0.00% to 0.02%.

What Is Aggravated Drunk Driving?

When an impaired driver has a blood alcohol content of 0.15% or higher, it is considered to be aggravated driving under the influence. An aggravated DUI charge earns a harsher punishment than the typical DUI charge and can even lead to a felony. At nearly double the legal limit of 0.08, drivers will have far less control of their muscles and the vehicle, have trouble focusing on the road, and lack the visual and auditory information processing necessary for driving safely. On average, two-thirds of fatal drunk driving crashes are caused by a driver with a BAC of 0.15 or more.

As you can see from our study, driving under the influence of alcohol is unfortunately a common occurrence that can lead to deadly results. While thousands of people are killed every year by drunk drivers, even more are left injured after being in an auto accident with an impaired driver. These victims can be left with physical and mental damages, and often don’t get the justice or compensation they deserve. We believe in holding those who choose to drive under the influence responsible for the injuries and fatalities they have caused while doing so. If you live in or around Philadelphia and have been the victim of a drunk driving accident, contact us to schedule a free consultation with an experienced drunk driving accident attorney from our law firm.

The 75 Cities With the Most Drunk Driving Deaths per 100,000 People in the United States

Rank	City	Population (2022)	Drivers in Fatal Accidents With a BAC of 0.08+ (2018-2022)	Drivers in Fatal Accidents With a BAC of 0.15+ (2018-2022)	Fatal Drunk Driving Accidents per 100,000 People
1	Odessa, TX	112,906	31	23	27.46
2	San Bernardino, CA	220,328	40	26	18.15
3	Pueblo, CO	111,456	20	17	17.94
4	Corona, CA	159,567	24	17	15.04
5	Hartford, CT	120,686	18	11	14.91
6	Midland, TX	134,444	19	17	14.13
7	Dallas, TX	1,299,544	181	130	13.93
8	Chattanooga, TN	184,086	25	19	13.58
9	Detroit, MI	620,376	82	59	13.22
10	Charleston, SC	153,672	20	15	13.01
11	Jacksonville, FL	971,319	126	84	12.97
12	Ontario, CA	179,061	22	16	12.29
13	Waterbury, CT	115,016	14	10	12.17
14	Victorville, CA	137,221	16	11	11.66
15	Lansing, MI	112,537	13	8	11.55
16	Houston, TX	2,302,878	258	182	11.20
17	Akron, OH	188,509	21	16	11.14
18	Lubbock, TX	263,930	29	24	10.99
19	Tucson, AZ	546,574	60	43	10.98
20	Temecula, CA	111,752	12	10	10.74
21	Lewisville, TX	131,215	14	8	10.67
22	Greensboro, NC	301,115	32	19	10.63
23	Riverside, CA	320,764	34	18	10.60
24	Colorado Springs, CO	486,248	51	35	10.49
25	Ventura, CA	109,527	11	8	10.04
26	San Antonio, TX	1,472,909	147	116	9.98
27	Glendale, AZ	252,136	25	16	9.92
28	Aurora, CO	393,537	39	31	9.91
28	Moreno Valley, CA	211,924	21	15	9.91
30	Modesto, CA	218,069	21	13	9.63
31	Lakewood, CO	156,120	15	10	9.61
32	Baton Rouge, LA	221,453	21	14	9.48
33	Sacramento, CA	528,001	50	33	9.47
33	Charlotte, NC	897,720	85	56	9.47
35	Fresno, CA	545,567	51	31	9.35
36	Beaumont, TX	112,089	10	7	8.92
37	Vallejo, CA	123,564	11	10	8.90
38	Arlington, TX	394,602	35	25	8.87
39	Louisville, KY	624,444	54	35	8.65
40	Irving, TX	254,715	22	16	8.64
41	Cleveland, OH	361,607	31	20	8.57
42	Kansas City, KS	153,345	13	10	8.48
43	Phoenix, AZ	1,644,409	139	100	8.45
43	Davie, FL	106,513	9	7	8.45
45	Stockton, CA	321,819	27	18	8.39
46	Thornton, CO	143,282	12	8	8.38
47	Billings, MT	119,960	10	7	8.34
48	Kansas City, MO	509,297	42	31	8.25
49	Denver, CO	713,252	57	42	7.99
50	Palmdale, CA	163,463	13	6	7.95
51	Corpus Christi, TX	316,239	25	18	7.91
52	Knoxville, TN	195,889	15	10	7.66
53	Richardson, TX	118,802	9	7	7.58
54	Oceanside, CA	172,199	13	8	7.55
55	Fairfield, CA	119,338	9	5	7.54
56	Tempe, AZ	185,950	14	11	7.53
57	Nashville, TN	683,622	51	39	7.46
58	Bakersfield, CA	410,647	30	17	7.31
59	Hollywood, FL	152,650	11	7	7.21
60	New Haven, CT	138,915	10	6	7.20
61	Everett, WA	111,337	8	4	7.19
62	Lexington, KY	320,347	23	14	7.18
63	Grand Rapids, MI	196,908	14	11	7.11
63	Birmingham, AL	196,910	14	8	7.11
65	Austin, TX	974,447	69	53	7.08
66	Mesa, AZ	512,498	36	22	7.02
67	Richmond, CA	114,301	8	4	7.00
68	Scottsdale, AZ	243,050	17	10	6.99
69	Waco, TX	143,984	10	6	6.95
70	Augusta, GA	202,096	14	12	6.93
71	McAllen, TX	144,579	10	6	6.92
72	Gainesville, FL	145,214	10	6	6.89
73	Jackson, MS	145,995	10	8	6.85
73	Pomona, CA	146,017	10	8	6.85
75	Cincinnati, OH	309,513	21	15	6.78

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