Although drinking and driving is easily preventable, roughly 37 people in America die each day in drunk-driving car crashes. That’s one alcohol-impaired driving fatality every 39 minutes.

Not only does driving under the influence bring grave danger to yourself and other drivers, but it also has long-term consequences: You could lose your license and gain a criminal record. It also makes it difficult to acquire the cheapest car insurance rates in the future.

Forbes Advisor has conducted a sobering study to reveal which states are the worst for drunk driving. All 50 states were compared across six key metrics to determine which states have the highest rates of driving under the influence.

Why you can trust Forbes Advisor

The Forbes Advisor team performed a thorough analysis of six metrics from two government databases to create our report on the worst states for drunk driving. Please find more details on our study’s methodology below.

  • 1,100 data points analyzed
  • 96 years of insurance experience on the editorial team
  • 3 levels of fact-checking

Key Takeaways

  • Montana tops the list of worst states for drunk driving, while New Jersey has the lowest rate of drunk driving.
  • Four of the 10 worst states for drunk driving are in the West: Montana, Wyoming, Oregon and New Mexico.
  • Six of the 10 states with the lowest rates of drunk driving are in the Northeast, including New Jersey, Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont.
  • More than two-fifths (42.18%) of drivers have witnessed a friend or family member drive after having more than one alcoholic drink.

Top 10 Worst States For Drunk Driving

1. Montana

Montana’s score: 100 out of 100

  • Montana ranks as the worst state for drunk driving, with 8.57 drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes for every 100,000 licensed drivers, and 7.14 people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver for every 100,000 state residents. Both rates are the highest in the nation.
  • More than two-fifths (43.51%) of traffic deaths in Montana are caused by drunk drivers, the highest in the nation.
  • Underage drinkers are also at high risk in Montana. The state has the worst rate of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (1.17 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • Big Sky Country has the 11th highest number of DUI arrests per 100,000 licensed drivers (450.50).

2. South Dakota

South Dakota’s score: 98.78 out of 100

  • South Dakota has the highest number of DUI arrests per 100,000 licensed drivers (879.12), ranking the state second among the worst states for drunk driving.
  • More than one-third (35.14%) of traffic deaths are caused by drunk drivers in South Dakota, the 11th highest percentage in our study.
  • South Dakota has the eighth-highest rate of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (0.57 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • According to our study, South Dakota has the ninth-highest percentage of traffic deaths caused by drivers with a relatively low blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 to 0.07 (6.76%).
  • The Mount Rushmore State has the 11th-highest rate of people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver (4.66 per 100,000 state residents).

3. Texas

Texas’ score: 98.66 out of 100

  • The Lone Star State ranks second worst for both the share of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes (8.30 per 100,000 licensed drivers) and percentage of traffic deaths caused by drunk drivers (42.37%).
  • Texas also stands out as the state with the third-highest rate of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (0.94 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • More than five (5.14) people are killed in crashes involving a drunk driver for every 100,000 state residents (the sixth-highest amount).

4. Wyoming

Wyoming’s score: 96.82 out of 100

  • Wyoming has the second-highest rate of people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver (6.78 per 100,000 state residents), ranking fourth among the worst states for drunk driving.
  • Wyoming stands out as the state with the third-highest rate of DUI arrests (629.12 per 100,000 licensed drivers), and the third-highest proportion of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes (8.22 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • Wyoming has the fifth-highest rate of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (0.70 per 100,000 licensed drivers).

5. North Dakota

North Dakota’s score: 87.65 out of 100

  • North Dakota stands out as the state with the second-highest rate of DUI arrests (832.50 per 100,000 licensed drivers), which was only behind South Dakota.
  • The state has the ninth-highest rate of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes (6.11 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • Nearly five (4.70) people are killed in crashes involving a drunk driver per 100,000 state residents, the 10th highest in the country.

6. Oregon

Oregon’s score: 86.53 out of 100

  • Oregon is the state with the fifth-highest percentage of traffic deaths caused by drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 to 0.07 (7.85%).
  • The state has the ninth-highest percentage of traffic deaths caused by drunk drivers (35.89%).
  • Oregon has the 11th-highest rate of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (0.53 per 100,000 licensed drivers).

7. New Mexico

New Mexico’s score: 76.64 out of 100

  • New Mexico has the second-highest rate of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (0.96 per 100,000 licensed drivers), ranking seventh among the worst states for drunk driving.
  • The Land of Enchantment stands out as the state with the fourth-highest proportion of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes (7.81 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • The state has the fourth-highest rate of people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver (6 per 100,000 state residents).

8. South Carolina

South Carolina’s score: 74.72 out of 100

  • South Carolina is the state with the third-highest rate of people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver (6.02 per 100,000 state residents).
  • About eight drunk drivers (7.57) per 100,000 licensed drivers are involved in fatal crashes, the fifth-highest in the country.
  • The Palmetto State has the sixth-highest rate of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (0.61 per 100,000 licensed drivers).

9. Missouri

Missouri’s score: 69.74 out of 100

  • Missouri stands out as the state with the 11th-highest rate of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes (5.92 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • The state has the 11th-highest percentage of traffic deaths caused by drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.01 to 0.07 (6.69%).
  • The Show Me State has the 12th-highest rate of people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver (4.30 per 100,000 state residents).

10. Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s score: 66.49 out of 100

  • The Sooner State stands out as the state with the 10th-highest rate of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes (6.03 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • Oklahoma has the 10th-highest share of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes (0.55 per 100,000 licensed drivers).
  • The state ranks 14th highest for the rate of people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver (4.16 per 100,000 state residents).

More Than 42% of Drivers Have Witnessed Intoxicated Driving

Despite widespread efforts by the federal government to educate the public on the dangers of drunk driving, far too many people continue to ignore the trend. More than two-fifths (42.18%) of drivers have witnessed a friend or family member drive after they’ve had more than one alcoholic drink, according to a recent Forbes Advisor survey of 10,000 licensed drivers.

Even one alcoholic drink can impair a person’s ability to drive, by causing a loss of judgment and a decline in visual functions. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher is illegal in all 50 states, except in Utah where the BAC limit is 0.05. People weighing up to 200 pounds can hit the legal limit with as little as four drinks.

How a DUI Affects Car Insurance Rates

Despite the physical dangers, drunk driving can have devastating consequences on a driver’s ability to get car insurance.

According to a Forbes Advisor analysis, the national average auto insurance rate increase for drivers with a DUI is 70%—an extra $1,470 a year. Car insurance companies see convicted drunk drivers as high-risk, and charge higher car insurance rates as a result.

That rate hike is much higher than what’s seen after other traffic events. For example, car insurance rates typically jump 22%, on average, after a speeding ticket, and the rate increase after an accident is 42%.

Finding post-DUI car insurance can be difficult, as not every provider may be willing to insure a convicted driver. With fewer options and higher rates, you’ll have to set aside a considerable amount of time to compare car insurance quotes to find affordable coverage.

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Study Methodology

To determine which states have the highest rates of drunk driving, Forbes Advisor compared all 50 states across the following six metrics:

  • Number of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers: 21.50% of score. Data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For this metric, we took a five-year average, using data from 2017 to 2021.
  • Number of DUI arrests per 100,000 licensed drivers: 21.50% of score. Data comes from the FBI. For this metric, we took a five-year average using data from 2018 to 2022.
  • Number of people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver per 100,000 state residents: 15.50% of score. Data comes from the NHTSA. For this metric, we took a five-year average using data from 2017 to 2021. State population data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2022.
  • Percent of total traffic deaths caused by drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or higher: 15.50% of score. Data comes from the NHTSA, 2021.
  • Number of drunk drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers: 15.50% of score. Data comes from the NHTSA’s Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool (FIRST). For this metric, we took a five-year average using data from 2017 to 2021.
  • Percent of total traffic deaths that were caused by drivers with a BAC of 0.01 to 0.07: 10.50% of score. Data comes from the NHTSA, 2021.

The number of licensed drivers by state comes from the Department of Transportation, 2021.

Survey Methodology

The percentage of drivers who have witnessed a friend or family member drive while intoxicated comes from a survey of 10,000 licensed U.S. drivers (at least 200 in each state) who are at least 18 years old and own at least one car.

This survey was conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected between July 7 and August 3, 2023. The margin of error is +/- 2.2 points with 95% confidence.