The article below shows that drunk driving accidents in NJ are declining. Even though it does not mention Safe Rides Unlimited or any other organization as a reason for the decline. We at SRU would like to believe that the 1000 or more people that use SRU instead of driving drunk are the ones that should be praised. With your help we have proven that people will make the right choice granted they have the available options.
When asked SRU Founder Moe Sattar commented on the article and thanked people who made the right choice by not driving drunk.
Article taken from: http://www.alcoholalert.com/drunk-driving-statistics-new-jersey.html
The number of alcohol-related deaths in New Jersey has dropped significantly from a high of 622 in 1982, to a low of 263 in 2005. The percentage of fatalities that were alcohol related has also dropped steadily, from a high of 59% in 1982, to a low of 35% in 1996 and 2005. In 2006, out of all traffic fatalities, 29% involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher.
|
Year
|
Fatalities
|
||||
|
Tot
|
Alc-Rel
|
%
|
0.08+
|
%
|
|
|
1982
|
1,061
|
622
|
59
|
515
|
49
|
|
1983
|
932
|
494
|
53
|
434
|
47
|
|
1984
|
922
|
451
|
49
|
380
|
41
|
|
1985
|
964
|
479
|
50
|
408
|
42
|
|
1986
|
1,039
|
490
|
47
|
394
|
38
|
|
1987
|
1,023
|
435
|
43
|
357
|
35
|
|
1988
|
1,051
|
457
|
43
|
392
|
37
|
|
1989
|
891
|
384
|
43
|
315
|
35
|
|
1990
|
886
|
366
|
41
|
304
|
34
|
|
1991
|
783
|
320
|
41
|
268
|
34
|
|
1992
|
763
|
280
|
37
|
222
|
29
|
|
1993
|
789
|
290
|
37
|
227
|
29
|
|
1994
|
761
|
289
|
38
|
251
|
33
|
|
1995
|
774
|
277
|
36
|
223
|
29
|
|
1996
|
814
|
283
|
35
|
229
|
28
|
|
1997
|
775
|
278
|
36
|
222
|
29
|
|
1998
|
741
|
267
|
36
|
207
|
28
|
|
1999
|
726
|
283
|
39
|
240
|
33
|
|
2000
|
731
|
322
|
44
|
271
|
37
|
|
2001
|
745
|
285
|
38
|
235
|
32
|
|
2002
|
771
|
281
|
36
|
240
|
31
|
|
2003
|
747
|
275
|
37
|
240
|
32
|
|
2004
|
731
|
270
|
37
|
227
|
31
|
|
2005
|
748
|
263
|
35
|
217
|
29
|
|
2006
|
771
|
285
|
37
|
224
|
29
|
The table above shows the total number of traffic fatalities (Tot) for the New Jersey, alcohol related fatalities (Alc-Rel) and fatalities in crashes where the highest BAC in the crash was 0.08 or above (0.08+).
All 50 states in the US now apply two statutory offenses to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. The first (and original) offense is known either as driving under the influence (DUI), driving while intoxicated/impaired (DWI), or operating while intoxicated/impaired (OWI). This is based upon a police officer’s observations (driving behavior, slurred speech, the results of a roadside sobriety test, etc.)
The second offense is called “illegal per se”, which is driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher. Since 2002 it has been illegal in all 50 states to drive with a BAC that is 0.08% or higher.
It is important to note that the New Jersey drunk driving statistics, as shown above, include data from individuals who were in an alcohol-related crash, but not driving a motor vehicle at the time. The U.S. Department of Transportation defines alcohol-related deaths as “fatalities that occur in crashes where at least one driver or non-occupant (pedestrian or bicyclist) involved in the crash has a positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) value.”
