A roadside survey released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that the number of drunk drivers on the roads has fallen during the past 30 years. 2.2 percent of drivers surveyed by NHTSA had blood-alcohol levels of 0.08 or higher in 2007, which is in sharp contrast to 1973 when 7.5 percent of the drivers surveyed were legally intoxicated.
Also, in a separate government survey, 16.3 percent of nighttime weekend drivers reported testing positive for drugs. (The most commonly detected drugs were marijuana (8.3 percent), cocaine (3.9 percent) and methamphetamine (1.3 percent).) The last survey done on driving while under the influence of drugs was in 1996, and 4.3 percent of drivers surveyed were found to be legally intoxicated.
The decline today coincides amid tougher laws as well as increased efforts by law enforcement and advocacy groups.
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