In 2006 driver alcohol/drugs was a contributing factor 1in 99 fatal traffic crashes, 409 serious injury crashes and 1128 minor injury crashes. These crashes resulted in 109 deaths, 556 serious injuries and 1768 minor injuries. The total social cost of crashes involving driver alcohol/drugs was about $725 million that is about a fifth of the social cost associated with all injury crashes.
Consuming alcohol degrades driving performance and affects driving behaviour. Many studies show that the risk of being involved in a crash increases as a drivers’ blood alcohol level increases. At high blood alcohol levels the risk rapidly increases.