WASHINGTON, D.C. — Responsibility.org issued the below statement from Executive Director Leslie Kimball in response to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week, marking the second consecutive year of decline in traffic fatalities.
“This new data is encouraging,” said Kimball. “Particularly during April, Alcohol Responsibility Month, we are pleased to see that both traffic fatalities overall and drunk driving deaths specifically declined in 2023. No one should have to share the road with a drunk driver, and we are proud of the judges, legislators, and responsible drivers who are working tirelessly and making decisions that make our roads safer and reduce lives lost.”
Some key data points include:
- In 2023, nearly 2,000 fewer people died in motor vehicle crashes, a decrease of more than four percent from 42,721 in 2022 to 40,901.
- Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounted for almost one-third (30%) of all traffic fatalities, decreasing nearly eight percent from 13,458 in 2022 to 12,429 in 2023.
- Thirty-seven states reported declines in the number of drunk driving fatalities between 2022 and 2023; however, 12 states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities on their roadways and one state had no change since 2022.
In addition to alcohol-impaired driving, NHTSA also tracks speeding involvement and safety restraint use as major factors involved in traffic fatalities. In 2023, all three human behavior factors—speed, seal belt use, and alcohol-impairment, decreased. Speeding, accounting for 29 percent of all traffic fatalities, declined three percent, and unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes declined nearly eight percent, accounting for 49% of known restraint use.
“While the reduction in motor vehicle deaths, especially the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities, compared to 2022 are promising, we must remember that every single one of these alcohol-impaired fatalities was 100% preventable, and that each one of these numbers is more than a statistic—it is a person,” continued Kimball. “The numbers reinforce Responsibility.org’s commitment to promoting alcohol responsibility and safe driving practices. We believe that education, public awareness campaigns, targeted advocacy and employing evidence-based countermeasures are keys to reducing impaired driving fatalities. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to promote responsible alcohol consumption and make our roads safer for everyone.”
NHTSA also released early estimates for 2024 traffic fatalities, projecting 39,345 people died in fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes, representing a decrease of almost four percent compared to the 40,901 fatalities reported for 2023. This marks the lowest fatality rate since 2019 and the first time since the pandemic that the number of lives lost on our roadways dropped below 40,000. Additionally, they noted Americans continue to drive more, with vehicle miles traveled (VMT) increasing 1 percent, while the overall fatality rate dropped to 1.20 fatalities per 100 million VMT.
To learn more about the programs and initiatives from Responsibility.org, or to participate in Alcohol Responsibility Month, visit www.responsibility.org.
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About Responsibility.org
Responsibility.org is a national not-for-profit that aims to eliminate drunk driving and work with others to end all impaired driving, eliminate underage drinking, and empower adults to make a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. Responsibility.org is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi USA, Inc.; Brown-Forman; Campari Group; Constellation Brands; DIAGEO; Edrington, Hotaling & Co.; Mast-Jägermeister US, Inc.; Moët Hennessy USA; Ole Smoky, LLC; Pernod Ricard USA; Suntory Global Spirits; and William Grant & Sons. For more than 33 years, Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that bring individuals, families, and communities together to inspire a lifetime of responsible alcohol choices. To learn more, please visit www.Responsibility.org.
