Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), reports that an estimated 30.5 million people, 15.1 percent, of the nation’s drivers, age 18 and older, drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year. The survey also reveals that 6-7 percent of adults in several states and the District of Columbia drove under the influence of illicit drugs at least once in the past year.
26.4 percent of Wisconsin adults 18 and older admitted to driving under
the influence in the previous year. Wisconsin has the highest
percentage of any state, roughly more than three times higher than the
lowest ranking state, Utah, which reported only 9.5 percent.
The national report also shows that nationwide nearly one in twenty
adult drivers aged 18 or older drove under the influence of illicit
drugs such as marijuana/hashish, crack/cocaine, inhalants,
hallucinogens, heroin or prescription drugs used non-medically. The
national average is 4.7 percent of drivers, with the District of
Columbia reporting the highest percentage, with 7 percent and among
Wisconsin residents the rate was 5.3 percent.
The data represents the combined results of surveys conducted by SAMHSA
in 2004, 2005, and 2006. SAMHSA is a public health agency within the
Department of Health and Human Services.
The full report is here.
