According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2006 an estimated 30.5 million persons about the age of 12 have reported driving under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year and 10.2 million have reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs during the past year.

Illicit drugs included:

  • Marijuana/Hashish
  • Cocaine
  • Crack Cocaine
  • Inhalants
  • Hallucinogens
  • Heroin
  • Prescription-type drugs used for other purposes

A combined data from SAMHSA’s 2004 to 2006 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health were used to produce average annualized data on driving under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs in the past year for each State based on self reports by adults aged 18 or older. According to these surveys, 15.1% of adults had driven under the influence of alcohol in the past year and 4.7% had driven under the influence of illicit drugs.

The States with the highest rates of “driving under the influence of alcohol” in the past year for adults 18 years or older were…

  1. Wisconsin (26.4%)
  2. North Dakota (24.9%)
  3. Minnesota (23.5%)
  4. Nebraska (22.9%)
  5. South Dakota (21.6%)

The highest rates of “driving under the influence of illicit drugs” in the past year for adults 18 years or older were…

  1. District of Columbia (7%)
  2. Rhode Island (6.8%)
  3. Massachusetts (6.4%)
  4. Montana (6.3%)
  5. Wyoming (6.2%)

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were almost 16,700 deaths in 2004 caused by accidents related to driving under the influence of alcohol. Overall, driving under the influence of alcohol and illicit drugs is among the leading sources of preventable death by injury in the United States.

“This report highlights the enormous public health risk posed by this problem – one threatening the lives of many Americans every day,” said SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. “By highlighting the scope and nature of this problem in each state we can help communities best use their efforts and resources to address this preventable menace.”