STATE SEES DROP IN NUMBER OF ALCOHOL-RELATED DEATHS

Utah is seeing a slow trend toward fewer alcohol-related traffic fatalities on its roads, according to a Utah Department of Public Safety report.

Seventy-six people died in alcohol-related crashes in 1991. While that was an increase over 1990 (60 deaths), it was a decrease from 1989 (82 deaths) and 1988 (105 deaths)."There is progress," said John Dame, state Highway Safety Office program supervisor. "Obviously, we still have work to do. We had 76 people die last year, and that's still too many."

Nonetheless, the number of alcohol-related deaths involving vehicle crashes has dropped dramatically since the 1970s, when it was not unusual to have 150 deaths per year.

Dame has no hard data but believes the reduction over the years has been influenced by beefed-up law enforcement and alcohol- and drug-awareness programs aimed at young people.

"I think even the passage of stricter laws and the publicity that gets, over a long period of time, has had an impact," Dame said. "I think more people are aware of using a designated driver, for example, or doing something other than drinking and taking the chance on driving. I think there's a greater awareness."

The reduction in alcohol-related fatal crashes is more dramatic when compared with the increased number of vehicle miles driven.

Between 1970 and 1980, Utah motorists averaged 8.1 billion miles each year. Last year, Utah motorists logged 15.2 billion miles.

Dame said the number of alcoholrelated auto fatalities in Utah - 28 percent - is significantly lower than the national average of 45 percent to 50 percent.

Still, the seriousness of drunken driving and the incidence of highway tragedies remain problems.

Last year, 78 percent of the drivers involved in alcohol-related fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content of .08 or greater, which means they were legally drunk when the accident occurred.

Twenty-eight percent of the alcohol-related fatal crashes occurred on Sundays. Dame attributes that to heavy drinking on Saturday nights, resulting in drunken drivers being on the road and getting involved in accidents in the early hours on Sunday.

Although both genders and all age groups from age 15 and older appeared in the statistics, young men were more likely to be involved in alcohol-related fatal crashes.

Last year, 10 percent of the drivers involved in alcohol-related fatal crashes were males under age 21, and 25 percent were males between 21 and 26 years old.

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Additional information

Graphic

Alcohol-related traffic fatalities

UTAH

1988, 105

1989, 82

1990, 60

1992, 76

Source: Utah Department of Public Safety