Study Finds Midwest Has Most Drunk Drivers
WASHINGTON (AP) - The upper Midwest has the worst drunken driving rates in the country, according to a government report that says 15 percent of adult drivers nationally report driving under the influence of alcohol in the previous year.
Vanessa Hudgens
Wisconsin leads the way. The federal government estimates more than a quarter of the state’s adult drivers had driven under the influence. Rounding out the worst five are North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Utah had the lowest incidence of drunken driving. It was the only state where fewer than 10 percent of adult motorists reported driving under the influence. Following closely behind were a slew of Southern states that often fare poorly when it comes to government health statistics. This time, however, they’re serving as models. West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky and North Carolina all had drunken driving rates for the prior year of less than 11 percent.
The report on drunken driving relies on data obtained from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey, based on a scientific random sample of households, asked 127,283 adults in 2004, 2005 and 2006 whether they had driven under the influence in the past year. Health experts say the state-by-state breakdowns support other surveys showing that residents in northern states are more likely to engage in heavy alcohol consumption.
“It’s not surprising, but it means that these jurisdictions should take this data and think about how they approach public education campaigns and enforcement campaigns,” said Dr. H. Westley Clark of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which released the report. The agency is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Eric Goplerud, research professor at George Washington University Medical Center, said cultural and demographic issues probably have a role in the higher rates of driving under the influence in certain states. He said that religious affiliations in the Southeast often strongly discourage drinking, but that doesn’t occur so much in the upper Midwest.
“A good part of the social life is around drinking,” said Goplerud, who is also director of Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, which call for increased access to treatment programs.
Also, blacks drink at substantially lower rates and at less hazardous rates than whites, he said. The populations in those states are heavily white.
Jeffrey Ratliff-Crain, associate professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota-Morris, noted that the Minnesota Legislature is considering a bill that would let bars stay open until 4 a.m. during the Republican National Convention, pouring more money into the economy.
“We’re making it easier to drink to all hours of the night, but (drinking and driving) didn’t come into the discussion,” Ratliff-Crain said. “There is a seeming acceptance that this is the way it is. Of course people are going to be drinking and driving, and well, that’s it.”
Clark said states with the lowest rates for driving under the influence shouldn’t take comfort in the data.
“Even in Utah, which reported the nation’s lowest rate, nearly one in 10 drivers report driving under the influence of alcohol within the past year,” Clark said. “So, even in states that have low consumption rates or low DUI rates, they too need to reflect on the approach they’re taking. We don’t want people to lull themselves into a false sense of security.”
A majority of Utah residents are Mormon. The religion bars the use of alcohol.
It’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
In the past decade, the number of impaired drivers involved in alcohol-related crashes has remained relatively stable—from 12,348 in 1996 to 12,491 in 2006. Those figures cover drivers with a blood- alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
The federal government also released estimates of driving under the influence of illicit drugs. The rates were highest in the District of Columbia, 7 percent; Rhode Island, 6.8 percent; and Massachusetts, 6.4 percent.
The states with the lowest rates for driving under the influence of illicit drugs within the past year were New Jersey, 3.2 percent; Alabama, 3.4 percent; and North Dakota and South Dakota, 3.5 percent.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
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I’m sorry, were there words before her?^
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:01 pmQuit drinking the ethanol! It’s for your car!
…..
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:07 pmSorry, I forgot to read the article - what was that again?
no kidding
something about drunk driving. or boobs or something
April 22nd, 2008 at 9:10 pm11:20 P.M. PDT, just went to Break.com, searched vids and pics for “you know who”
:shock:.
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About the article…actually a side note
In his biography Barry Goldwater spoke of the horror show that was life on the Indian Reservations in Arizona. That drugging and the boozing were destroying them. (my words, not BG’s).
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My new-age-crack-pot brother-in-law told me about visiting an Uncle in Tuscon in ‘75 whose kid (aka “Cousin Bob”) was a smack dealer. My Idiot Brother-in-law went out to the reservation with “Cousin Bob” to sell to his native American Customers. Idiot B.I.L. walked into the room and every single person in the room was in a wheelchair because they were missing at least one leg to Diabetes. But they were all really happy…they were about to get their fix.
Then…oh yea, there’s more…Idiot B.I.L and “Cousin Bob” drove south in the reservation down to the border and “Cousin Bob” bought 2 kilos of smack from a guy who walked across the border.
Idiot B.I.L left town as soon as they got back to Tuscon.
Two weeks later “Cousin Bob” sold his “business” and retired when someone in town tipped him off that the cops were on to him.
Far as I know that F’ing bastard “Cousin Bob” lived happily ever after.
America’s needed Border control for 60 years.
To my knowledge the above is true, in point of fact.
After that n
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:49 pmVanessa could make Mr Happy VERY happy.
We don’t drink in Ouisconsin bro…
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:20 pmI second One Shot there, I don’t think I have seen one person consume an alcoholic beverage in WI.
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:28 amWisconsin leads the lower 48 in binge drinking, obesity, and teen pregnancy. ROCK ON!!! Brats an Ol’ Style 4LIFE!!
Up nort der aye?? With Wisconsin being an OCCUPIED state and Madison the liberal death star of the midwest… I am seeking asylum in Texas. Unless Vicki MKenna the conservative flame thrower on 1130 WISN from Milwaukee has a torrid affair with me; I simply can’t stay in Wisconsin.
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:55 amThe Lord did a mighty fine job with that young lady.
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:59 amNow imagine Vickie in a burqa and you will understand why we fight. Not sure what the hell is wrong in europe. Lost their will to fight.
April 23rd, 2008 at 7:08 amWhat? It must boring or something in the mid-west!
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:12 amHowever, the most friendly people in the nation, I believe, are from the mid-west. Why is that?
Mmm, that’s good eatin’.
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:52 amThat’s why MN and ND are my two favorite states besides the ol’ homestead in IL.
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:41 pmI’m from the thumb of Michigan and yes it is boring. There isn’t much else to do but get fucked up and shoot guns. That’s what I did anyway, along with all my friends.
And yes we are friendly because we were brought up right and kind of old fashioned. Conservative Christian people with Christian values. Good people.
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:14 pm