State Alcohol-Impaired Driving Estimates 2019-2020

This fact sheet contains information on fatal motor vehicle traffic crashed based on data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The data presented was gathered in 2020. 

Georgia has an alcohol-impaired driving fatality rate of .35 per 100 million VMT (vehicle miles traveled). Georgia has had an increase in crash fatalities that did not involve alcohol from 2011 to 2020 (74% and 80%, respectively). In 2020, 20% of driver had a BAC (blood alcohol content) of .01 g/dL or more, 16% had a BAC of .08 g/dL or more, and 11% had a BAC above .15 g/dL. Georgia has had a decline in tests with known BAC results. In 2011, 43% of fatal crashes had known BAC results while in 2020, only 27% had known results. 

Nationwide 2019:

28% of traffic fatalities involved alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. 19% of drivers involved in fatal crashes were alcohol-impaired. 42% of drivers involved in fatal crashes had known blood alcohol content test results. 

In Georgia, there has been a decrease in the percent of drivers involved in fatal crashes with known BAC test results (41% in 2010 to 33% in 2019). Although the percent of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities has remained the same from 2010 to 2019, the percent of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes has decreased from 17% in 2010 to 16% in 2019. 

Georgia 2010:

There were 1,247 traffic fatalities. Of those, 72% involved no alcohol. 28% involved a BAC of .01 or greater. 24% involved a BAC of .08 or greater, and 16% involved a BAC of .15 or greater. 

Georgia 2019: 

The alcohol-impaired-driving fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled was .26. There were 1,491 traffic fatalities. Of those, 71% involved no alcohol. 28% involved a BAC of .01 or greater. 24% involved a BAC of .08 or greater, and 15% involved a BAC of .15 or greater.