New Jersey Drunk Driving Statistics
In 2021, 15,650 people were killed in alcohol-related collisions in the United States – the highest number of such deaths since 2006. This staggering number represented 36 percent of all U.S. traffic fatalities. During that same year, 220 people died in drunk driving accidents in New Jersey, accounting for 31 percent of all traffic deaths.
While New Jersey has a lower overall incidence of drunk driving deaths than the national average, one drunk driving death is too many. Drinking and driving is still a pervasive issue in New Jersey, especially during the holidays. At Brady, Reilly, & Cardoso, LLC, we believe that awareness can help effect change on important safety issues. With that in mind, we examined the last several years of fatal crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to get a full understanding of the issue in New Jersey.
Below are our findings and New Jersey drunk driving statistics:
Significant Increases in alcohol-related Fatal Collisions
Following the national trend, alcohol-related traffic fatalities in New Jersey increased in 2020 and spiked to ten-year highs in 2021.
New Jersey Traffic Deaths by Highest Blood Alcohol Content Test Result: 1994 – 2021
Below, view the totals for New Jersy Traffic fatalities by year and blood alcohol content.
| Year | BAC = .00 | BAC = .01-.07 | BAC = .08+ | BAC=.01+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 518 | 33 | 209 | 241 |
| 1995 | 542 | 51 | 180 | 231 |
| 1996 | 579 | 51 | 183 | 234 |
| 1997 | 538 | 52 | 183 | 235 |
| 1998 | 512 | 52 | 176 | 229 |
| 1999 | 492 | 40 | 193 | 233 |
| 2000 | 454 | 48 | 228 | 276 |
| 2001 | 497 | 46 | 203 | 249 |
| 2002 | 538 | 38 | 194 | 231 |
| 2003 | 499 | 39 | 195 | 235 |
| 2004 | 488 | 50 | 185 | 235 |
| 2005 | 500 | 44 | 203 | 247 |
| 2006 | 490 | 62 | 218 | 280 |
| 2007 | 468 | 55 | 201 | 256 |
| 2008 | 397 | 40 | 152 | 192 |
| 2009 | 400 | 37 | 146 | 183 |
| 2010 | 360 | 35 | 160 | 195 |
| 2011 | 399 | 33 | 194 | 226 |
| 2012 | 378 | 46 | 164 | 210 |
| 2013 | 356 | 39 | 148 | 187 |
| 2014 | 358 | 37 | 161 | 198 |
| 2015 | 427 | 28 | 107 | 135 |
| 2016 | 426 | 41 | 134 | 175 |
| 2017 | 467 | 36 | 121 | 157 |
| 2018 | 399 | 35 | 127 | 163 |
| 2019 | 388 | 41 | 129 | 169 |
| 2020 | 399 | 34 | 153 | 187 |
| 2021 | 479 | 42 | 178 | 220 |
How Does New Jersy Compare to Other States?
As previously mentioned, alcohol-related crashes make up 31 percent of all fatal crashes in New Jersey. This is significantly lower than the national average of 36 percent and tied for the ninth-lowest total of any state in the nation. New Jersey is tied with Florida, Oklahoma, and Minnesota and behind just Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, Utah, West Virginia, Delaware, Indiana, and Kansas.
When Are Drivers at the Highest Risk?
According to the Office of the Attorney General, alcohol impairment among drivers is nearly four times higher at night than during the day and nearly 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes on weekends are alcohol-impaired. By that measure, late night and early morning on weekends is the most dangerous time for motorists. The data in New Jersey bears this out. While the day-of-week data did not include BAC status, more fatal collisions occurred during the 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday time frame than any other three-hour period. In fact, the three deadliest time periods were in the evening or late night on Friday and Saturday.
| Time of Crash | Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midnight to 2:59 a.m. | 20 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 15 |
| 3 a.m. to 5:59 a.m. | 14 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
| 6 a.m. to 8:59 a.m. | 12 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| 9 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 7 |
| Noon to 2:59 p.m. | 16 | 8 | 17 | 16 | 9 | 10 | 19 |
| 3 p.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 15 | 7 | 12 | 20 | 13 | 16 | 11 |
| 6 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. | 16 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 25 |
| 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. | 14 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 23 | 23 |
The NHTSA did, however, provide BAC data for the time of the crash. The saying goes that nothing good happens after midnight, and it appears to be true. In 2021, half of all fatal crashes from midnight to 3 a.m. involved alcohol on at least one of the drivers involved – the highest share of any time period.
| Time Period | Total Crashes | Alcohol-Related Crashes | Percent Alcohol-Related |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midnight to 2:59 a.m. | 74 | 37 | 50 |
| 3 a.m. to 5:59 a.m. | 64 | 27 | 42 |
| 6 a.m. to 8:59 a.m. | 59 | 9 | 15 |
| 9 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. | 54 | 5 | 9 |
| Noon to 2:59 p.m. | 95 | 7 | 7 |
| 3 p.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 94 | 17 | 18 |
| 6 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. | 110 | 27 | 24 |
| 9 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. | 119 | 38 | 32 |
Takeaways and Safety Tips
As always, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol is always dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. If you plan to consume alcohol, make sure to designate a safe way to get home. Whether that is designating a driver, calling a cab or rideshare service, walking, or using public transportation, you should never drive.
However, the issue is so pervasive that even drivers who do not consume alcohol should be vigilant. Consider avoiding using the roads between midnight and 3 a.m. If you must drive at night, drive defensively, avoid distraction and significantly increase your following distance behind other vehicles. If a driver around you is acting erratically, safely move to the side or pull over to a safe location.