Colorado is one of the worst states in the nation for drunk driving, according to a new report that compared drunk driving rates by state. At No. 13 for overall drunk driving, Colorado posted a rate of 411 DUIs per 100,000 people in 2018. The highest overall drunk driving rate was in South Dakota where there were 721.9 DUIs per 100,000 people last year. North Dakota was No. 2 on the list followed by Wyoming, North Carolina and Mississippi.
The United States has seen a 35% decline in overall drunk driving rates between 2009 and 2018. In Colorado, the statewide decline over the same time span was around 31%. The worst year for drunk driving incidents in Colorado was in 2010 when there were 618 drunk driving arrests per 100,000 people.
Other statistics shown in the study include demographic differences in drunk driving arrests. Men make up almost 75% of accused drunk drivers, and white people make up 81.2% of accused drunk drivers. Delaware had the lowest number of drunk driving incidents in 2018 with 44.3 DUI incidents per 100,000 people.
While technology is improving, many of the tools that police officers continue to use to test drivers for intoxication levels are flawed. For example, breath tests can show false readings if an individual has acid reflux, and blood tests can be flawed by imperfect storage methods. A drunk driving defense attorney might be able to help a client dispute the prosecution’s claims by arguing that the evidence being used against them is flawed.
