Louisiana ninth in drunk driving fatalities

In addition to New Year’s, revelers in Louisiana also celebrate Mardi Gras. Unfortunately, people consume the most liquor during these holidays with 43.5 percent of the population engaging in binge drinking. Recently issued statistics from SafeWise also indicate that Louisiana ranked ninth in this country for fatal drunk driving accidents.

There were 285 drunk driving deaths across the United States between Christmas and New Year’s in 2018. For an entire year, there were 10,511 drunk driving deaths which constituted one-third of all traffic fatalities. Tragically, all these deaths were preventable.

Lat year, Louisiana had 4.64 drunk driving deaths per 100,000 people. It went from tenth to ninth from 2018 to 2019 in this category. A lower numerical ranking means it suffered more fatalities.

Montana had the worst record with 7.44 deaths per 100,000 residents. It fell from sixth to this ranking from 2018.

New Hampshire had the largest rise in drunk driving deaths. Its ranking went from 21 to 46 over one year which meant that it went from above average to well below average.

Washington, DC had the best record. It was ranked 51st in this category with 1.28 impaired driving deaths per 100,000. It rose from 45th in this category.

Except for Florida and Georgia, southern states from South Carolina to New Mexico had the most dangerous roads for drunk motorists. The East Coast had the overall best record.

The fatal crash data was based upon a motorist’s blood alcohol concentration over .08 percent, which exceeds the legal limit for drunk driving. SafeWise used data from the National Traffic Safety Association to establish which states had the most fatalities attributed to drunk driving.

A drunk driving accident victim may face years of medical treatment and expenses for serious injuries. An attorney can help the seek fair and reasonable compensation in a lawsuit.