Teens in Arkansas are more likely to drink and drive than teens in other states, according to a report by an insurance comparison website. Federal statistics show that drunk driving deaths account for one-third of all U.S. traffic fatalities each year.
For the report, researchers examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s High School Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System to find out which states have the most teen drunk drivers. They found that 10.7% of Arkansas teens admitted to drinking and driving within the previous 30 days, which was the highest percentage in the U.S.
Another 26.3% of teens from the state said they have recently gotten into a car operated by a driver who had been drinking. Meanwhile, 10% of Louisiana teens admitted to driving after consuming alcohol in the last 30 days, which was the second-highest percentage in the nation. Around 7.6% of Montana teens said they have gotten behind the wheel after drinking in the last month, which was the third-highest percentage in the country.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the study found that only 6% of Idaho teens said they were guilty of drinking and driving in the last 30 days, which was the lowest percentage in the U.S. The study also found that 6.2% of Arizona teens and 6.3% of Connecticut teens said they had recently gotten behind the wheel after drinking, which represented the second and third lowest percentages in the nation, respectively.
Each year, thousands of Americans are injured in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents. Virginia residents who are injured by a drunk driver have the right to file a personal injury claim in civil court. An attorney might be able to evaluate a victim’s case and help prepare the necessary documents.