Have you been in a car accident recently? Was your car damaged? Did you suffer an injury? Depending on how long you’ve been driving, the answers are probably yes.
What you probably didn’t know was the odds of the driver being under the influence of a substance that impaired his or her driving ability.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “31% of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with BACs [blood alcohol content] of .08 g/dL or higher).”
According to the NHTSA, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes daily — that’s one person every 39 minutes. In 2021, 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths — a 14% increase from 2020.
The number of driving under the influence (DUI) offenses in 2023-2024 have slightly decreased, thanks to the growing popularity of ride share apps. On the other hand, there has been an increased number of drivers finding themselves driving while under the influence of marijuana.
The legalization of marijuana in February 2022 made it easier for people to obtain a different substance that can impair judgment while driving.
Without thinking about consequences, irresponsible drivers make the choice to put other people’s lives at risk.
There are many reasons people may make this decision. Some groups have a designated driver, commonly known as a “DD.” People could be in a situation where that person ends up impaired, so then makes the irresponsible decision to drive.
Other times, people may worry about leaving their vehicle in an unfamiliar location, and others simply do not care if they are impaired.
A Warren Hills Regional High School student who had been in a car accident was asked about their experience through the accident process.
“I felt angry and felt that the whole situation was unfair,” Said the anonymous student. “I didn’t need to get hit, and the entire situation could have been avoided if the other driver hadn’t been under the influence and on their phone, but I was just glad the driver was honest and told me that they had been high. Nonetheless, my car is totaled, The driver privately said to me that he knew it was his fault, and told police”
Eventually this student was able to get $4500 from insurance after 2 months. Having to pay $9500 out of pocket for a different car.

But why? Why do so many people risk it? No matter what substances become legal or illegal it ultimately becomes the drivers responsibility to think critically about consuming these substances then driving. Legislators cannot blame the rise of DUI’s on the legalization of marjuana but rather an increase in irresponsible driving. But what caused this? What normalized the idea of driving impaired? Why put an innocent person or family at risk…
Driving under the influence not only increases the risk of accident for yourself but the other drivers around you. DON’T become another statistic. Need to seek treatment for substance abuse? Call 1-800-662-4357.