California Data

• In California, 1,616 people were killed in alcohol related crashes in 2007, down from 1,762 fatalities in 2006 – a decrease of 8.3 percent.  Additionally in 2007, there were 30,642 people injured in alcohol-related crashes, down from 31,099 in 2006. 
• In California, 203,866 people were arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in 2007, up from 197,248 in 2006.
• The average alcohol-related fatality in California costs $3.8 million, including $1 million in monetary costs and $2.8 million in quality of life losses.
• The estimated cost per injured survivor of an alcohol-related crash averages $115,000 including $55,000 in monetary costs and $60,000 in quality of life losses.
• Alcohol-related crashes accounted for an estimated 20 percent of California’s auto insurance payments.  Reducing alcohol-related crashes by 10 percent could save $300 million in claims payments and loss adjustment expenses.

National Data

• Nationally, there were 12,998 alcohol-related fatalities in 2007, a decrease of 3.7 percent from 13,491 in 2006.
• In 2007, 56 percent of the drivers involved in fatal crashes who had been drinking had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above.
• Nationally, the rate of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes is more than three times higher at night, compared to daytime offenses. 
• In 2007, while 41 percent of drivers involved in all fatal crashes were in weekday crashes, about 57 percent were in crashes that occurred during the weekend.

Sources: Statistics provided by the California Highway Patrol Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) provisional data, California Department of Justice Criminal Justice Statistics Center and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Traffic Safety Facts: 2007 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment- Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities.