Texas ranks near top for its drunk driving problem, new study reports

The Lone Star State's rate of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes is nearly double the national average.

click to enlarge Texas ranked second to only South Carolina in a new analysis of drunk driving data. - Shutterstock / New Africa
Shutterstock / New Africa
Texas ranked second to only South Carolina in a new analysis of drunk driving data.
Yet another study of traffic statistics has ranked Texas as one of the worst states for drunk driving.

This time, the Burbank, California-based Simmrin Law Group crunched the numbers and named the Lone State State as No. 2 in the nation for its drunk-driving problem.

To create the rankings, researchers considered the number of drunk drivers involved in fatal accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers, fatalities per 100,000 residents and the percentage of traffic deaths caused by drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or higher.

The law firm's report used data sources including the NHTSA, U.S. Census Bureau and Statista, and it ranked states based on assigned scores, which topped out at 100. South Carolina's 100 score placed it at the top of the list, while Texas scored a 83.65.

New Mexico, Wyoming and Montana slotted in at third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Utah, meanwhile, had fewer drunk driving problems than anywhere else in the nation.

Breaking down the numbers, more than 42% of Texas' traffic fatalities involve drunk drivers, and the state tallied 6.13 drunk driving deaths per 100,000 residents. What's more, Texas' rate of 10.08 drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers is nearly double the national average, according to the study.

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed

KEEP SA CURRENT!

Since 1986, the SA Current has served as the free, independent voice of San Antonio, and we want to keep it that way.

Becoming an SA Current Supporter for as little as $5 a month allows us to continue offering readers access to our coverage of local news, food, nightlife, events, and culture with no paywalls.

Join today to keep San Antonio Current.

Scroll to read more Texas News articles

Sanford Nowlin

Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current.

Join SA Current Newsletters

Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox.