81% jump in DUI deaths in Utah follows steep drop

Utah had an 81 percent increase in the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities from 2003 to 2004, according to a national report, by far and away the largest percentage increase of any state in the nation.

"When you look at the statistical jump it reaches out and grabs you," said Utah Highway Patrol Col. Scott Duncan.

But Duncan also said the statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration are a little misleading. Utah had 36 alcohol-related deaths in 2003 compared to 65 in 2004. In the actual number of deaths, Duncan said the Beehive State ranks near the bottom fifth of the list.

Two of the nation's largest states, Texas and California, each had more than 1,000 alcohol-related fatalities in 2004. Even smaller states like Idaho, Iowa and South Dakota had more deaths than Utah, according to the NHTSA annual report.

In a previous Deseret Morning News article, the state incorrectly reported alcohol-related fatality statistics. Those numbers showed less of an increase for Utah than the most recent report by the NHTSA, which reports complete figures for the state.

But Duncan stressed he was in no way trying to downplay Utah's numbers.

"One person (killed) is too many for me, that's how strong I feel about it," he said. "Statistically I'm not as concerned as I am with the thing that one death is too many. . . . It disturbs me, I don't want to downplay (the report) whatsoever. Because ever since it came out I thought, 'What can we do better?' We don't like to go that direction no matter what."

Duncan also noted that in 2001 Utah had more than 70 alcohol-related deaths. When the number dropped to 36 in 2003 the state received an award for having the greatest reduction in the nation.

"People asked then how did we do it? I said a lot of hard work and we were lucky. In 2004, we were just unlucky," he said.

Art Brown, president of the Salt Lake chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said it was discouraging that the numbers bumped back up to where they were a few years ago. But he is sure the numbers would have been even worse if not for the continued efforts of law enforcers and lawmakers to fight the problem.

He said people who have lost loved ones to "this violent crime" will be especially discouraged by the report.

But Brown said those who choose to drink and drive are the ones who "own" those numbers.

"They have to have more respect of the community," he said. "People need to own up to the responsibility to not drive impaired. You can't have a trooper behind every person."

New Utah laws that went into effect in July will help the highway patrol reduce the number of fatal accidents and keep repeat DUI offenders off the road, Duncan said.