Study Looks at State DUI Rates

A new federal government study finds that about 15 percent of U.S. drivers age 18 and older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year, with levels in some states reaching 25 percent of drivers.

The study, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), provides state-by-state estimates on the pervasiveness of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. An SAMHSA news release, which also contains a state-by-state breakdown of DUI rates, reports that "driving under the influence ranged from a low of 9.5 percent in Utah, to highs of 26.4 percent in Wisconsin, 24.9 percent in North Dakota and 23.5 percent in Minnesota." The SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• SAMHSA News Release on the "State DUI" Study
• Read the Full "State DUI" Report (SAMHSA)
• One in Six Drivers Drink Sometimes: Report (Reuters)
• State-by-State DUI Laws and Penalties (FindLaw)
• DUI / DWI Center (FindLaw)