High-Risk Drivers Fact Sheet
Unlicensed Driver Issues
One fatal crash in five (20%) involves a driver who is unlicensed or whose license is suspended,
canceled, or revoked.
States differ dramatically in their incidence of crashes involving unlicensed and invalidly licensed
drivers, from 6.1% in Maine to 23.4% in New Mexico.
Unlicensed drivers are almost five times more likely to be in a fatal crash than are validly licensed
drivers.
Two-thirds of drivers continue to drive while under suspension.
Properly applied sanctions and suspensions can reduce the number of unlicensed drivers on the roads.
Drunk Driving
Over half of all drivers arrested for driving while intoxicated, and almost two-thirds of drinking drivers
who were fatally injured, had a blood alcohol content higher than 0.15. This is nearly twice the legal
limit in most states.
About 23 percent of all drinking drivers are problem drivers and this group makes more than 40
percent of all drinking-driver trips.
About 21 percent of American drivers admitted they had driven after drinking in the past year.
Drinking drivers make approximately 950 million trips each year.
The chance that a drunk driver will be arrested on any given trip is less than 1 in 50. Many drunk
drivers do not believe they will be stopped, arrested, or convicted.