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Florida Among States With Least DUI Deaths

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2008

TAMPA - Florida is among 10 states with the lowest percentage of deaths involving drunken drivers, according to an annual report compiled by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The "State Progress Report" for 2007 ranks the 50 states and the District of Columbia using federal highway traffic crash data. MADD released the report this week to coincide with the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving begins a deadly season on the nation's roads. In 2007, nearly 1,500 people nationwide were killed in crashes involving a drunken driver from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, according to MADD.

In the report, Utah had the lowest percentage of traffic deaths involving drunken drivers: 17.1 percent. North Dakota had the highest, 47.7 percent.

Florida ranked ninth, with 27.8 percent, the report states.

In each of the 50 states, a person is considered intoxicated with a blood-alcohol level above .08.

Sobriety checkpoints and ignition-interlock devices – breath tests that prevent a vehicle from starting if the driver has alcohol in his system – have helped reduce alcohol-related traffic fatalities, MADD says.

Here are the ten states with the lowest percentage of traffic deaths involving drunken drivers, according to MADD. For the full list, click here.

1. Utah, 17.1 percent
2. Iowa, 23.8 percent
3. Kentucky, 24.3 percent
4. Indiana, 25.6 percent
5. New Hampshire, 26.4 percent
6. Georgia, 26.9 percent
7. Kansas, 27.4 percent
8. New Jersey, 25.5 percent
9. Florida, 27.7 percent
10. Idaho, 27.8 percent

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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