Every 39 minutes, an American dies in a DWI or DUI-related accident – that’s 37 people per day. 

About a million arrests are made each year for driving while intoxicated. Despite the risks, millions of people in the United States each year choose to drive after drinking.

It’s also essential to understand the role of addiction in DWI. Drugs and alcohol can create a heightened sense of pleasure or euphoria, which in turn can lead to questionable choices.

September 14 is National Sober Day. To mark this, Michael & Associates, a criminal defense law firm based in Austin, Texas, surveyed 1,500 Americans to better understand what makes people get behind the wheel when they suspect they may be intoxicated.

Here’s what we learned:

Key Takeaways

• 37% of Americans have driven while suspecting they were intoxicated
• More than 25% of this group has been involved in an alcohol-related accident at some point in their lives
• 33% have driven after consuming three or more drinks in two hours

37% of Americans have driven while suspecting they were intoxicated

A total of 37% of survey respondents said they drove while suspecting that they were intoxicated. About 22% of those had consumed alcohol; another 15% said the intoxication was due to legal prescription drugs. 

Even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2,337 people were killed in 2022 in alcohol-related crashes where a driver had a blood alcohol concentration of .01 to .07 g/dL – that’s under the legal limit of .08%

33% Drove after Consuming 3 or More Drinks in Two Hours

Just over 33% admitted to driving after consuming more than three drinks in two hours.

The top reasons cited for driving were that people didn’t feel impaired, they only had to drive a short distance, or they thought it was safe. Here is a breakdown of reasons people said they chose to drive after drinking:

25% of Those Who Drove While Suspecting Intoxication Have Been Involved in an Alcohol-Related Accident

A total of 1120 people said they’ve consumed alcohol or legal drugs to the point of intoxication at least once in their lives. About 25% of that group (287 people in total) have been involved in an alcohol-related accident, though only 8.3% said they were driving at the time. About 4% have been involved in more than one alcohol-related accident, 8% were passengers in a vehicle with an intoxicated driver, and just over 5% were in another vehicle. 

Most DWI Traffic Stops Resulted in a Release or a Warning

Roughly one-third of respondents admitted to driving while intoxicated. Of that group, 31% said they were pulled over by police and arrested. Another 20% said they were pulled over by police and questioned but were not arrested.

The majority of people who have been pulled over were either questioned and let go and/or given a warning. About 20% of traffic stops resulted in an arrest. More than 100 people said they were injured in some manner during the traffic stop. Of that group, 54 said they required medical attention.

Ultimately, most respondents ended up paying a fine and/or having their driver’s license suspended. Almost 33% of cases were dropped, and 20% resulted in a conviction.

How Much Do People Think It’s Safe to Drink Before Driving?

Almost half of those surveyed say they believe that it’s not safe to drive after a single drink.

It’s also worth noting that it’s possible to be intoxicated without consuming any alcohol at all. More than 60% of respondents have, at some point, taken a prescription drug that can lead to impairment.

Though most people equate DWI to alcohol consumption, “intoxication” isn’t always due to drinking. Many drivers may be unaware of the impact that legal prescription medications and even legal cannabis products (which might be stronger than they believe) can have on reaction times and reflexes.

“Decision-making becomes skewed, with choices increasingly driven by the need to satisfy cravings rather than by rational thought or consideration of risks,” said Dr. Jason Kellogg, a noted psychiatrist and medical director of Hotel California by the Sea, a rehabilitation facility.  

“A person may feel capable of tasks like driving, even when they are clearly impaired to an outside observer.”

Ask the Experts

To better understand why people choose to drive drunk, we spoke with numerous experts in the field of addiction and alcohol treatment. We discussed the following topics:

1. How does addiction affect people’s ability to recognize when they might be intoxicated?
2. What alternative penalties could/should be levied in the courts to focus on addiction treatment?
3. What are some long-term consequences a DWI conviction could cause?

Here are some of the key takeaways we learned.

Dr. Jason Kellogg, Psychiatrist and founder of the Progeny Psychiatric Group:

“The compulsive nature of addiction often overrides rational thinking. Individuals experience difficulty assessing their own physical and mental state accurately. This leads users to underestimate or completely overlook how impaired they actually are. A person may feel capable of tasks like driving, even when they are clearly impaired to an outside observer. The chronic nature of addiction also means that these lapses in judgment become habitual, increasing the likelihood of repeated risky behaviors.”  the likelihood of repeated risky behaviors.” 

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Dr. Maria Knobel, Internationally board-certified general practitioner in lifestyle medicine:

“The brain’s executive functions, which include critical processes such as self-monitoring and decision-making, are notably disrupted by chronic substance use. This impairment affects an individual’s ability to objectively evaluate their own cognitive and physical state. As a result, they might believe they are functioning normally when, in reality, their capabilities are significantly compromised. This lack of self-awareness is accompanied by an inability to appreciate the full extent of their cognitive decline, making accurate self-assessment of intoxication increasingly difficult.”

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Marsha Stone, Austin-based Founder and CEO at Foundation Stone Family of Programs and co-author of Rewired Workbook: A Manual for Addiction Recovery: 

“The very sad reality is that applying punitive measures to behaviors caused by alcoholism or addiction simply doesn’t work. When we think about alcoholism, we must remember that this is truly a brain disease, and there are many other factors involved, such as trauma, genetics, and more.”

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Jessica Plonchak, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Executive Clinical Director at ChoicePoint:

“DWI is a serious offense, and convictions can often leave a lasting impact. Some of the long-term consequences of such a conviction can include the fact that it may cause significant trauma to others. The person driving under the influence is not the only one affected; bystanders or someone injured in the crash will also be permanently affected. 

Secondly, the convicted will now find it difficult to find housing or employment, as many consider DWI a sign of poor judgment or even a risk factor. 

Finally, it may also lead to a suspension of their driving license, making it difficult to go to work or run errands.”

The Bottom Line

DWI is a serious issue. A single accident can be devastating, leading to a lifelong criminal record or even death. However, addiction and side effects from prescription drugs can sometimes trick people into making poor decisions. And the implications can follow people for the rest of their lives. It’s essential to consider the reasons why people choose to get behind the wheel and seek alternative treatments (like addiction counseling) over punitive measures when it’s clear that someone has a problem.

Methodology

Michael & Associates collected survey responses from a random sampling of 1,500 adults ages 21 and older from Aug. 2-5, 2024. All respondents live in the United States. Each response was anonymized using a unique user ID. About 55% of respondents were female, while 45% were male.

About 16% of respondents were aged 21-24, 25% were aged 25 to 34, 19% were between ages 35 to 44, 16% were between the ages of 45 to 54, and 27% were 55 or older.