The Driving Habits Putting Thousands of Lives at Risk Every Year

Posted by Hugh Grant
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Legal Services
Jun 25, 2025
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In 2022, over 42,000 people lost their lives in traffic accidents across the United States, that’s one life lost every 12 minutes. Behind many of these tragic deaths are three all-too-common causes: drunk driving, speeding, and distracted driving. Together, these behaviors contributed to nearly 30,000 fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Safety Council (NSC).

The numbers are staggering, and they don’t stop at fatalities. An estimated 2.3 million people were injured in non-fatal crashes in 2022. That’s about five people hurt every minute. These preventable tragedies are a national crisis, and understanding the driving behaviors behind them is the first step to change. DeMayo Law Offices provides a study that explores these numbers a bit more in-depth.

Drunk Driving: Still a Leading Killer on the Roads

Alcohol-impaired driving was responsible for 13,524 deaths in 2022, roughly one-third of all traffic fatalities. The legal threshold for drunk driving is a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08%, but many drivers in fatal crashes had BAC levels nearly double that.

Quick stats:

  • 28% of alcohol-related fatalities involved motorcyclists.

  • 25% involved drivers of passenger cars.

  • 21% involved drivers of light trucks or SUVs.

  • 3% involved drivers of large trucks.

  • 9,047 fatal crashes involved a BAC of 0.15% or higher.

The highest rates of drunk driving fatalities were among adults aged 25–34 (41.5%) and 35–44 (36.5%). July saw the highest spike in alcohol-related deaths, and in North Carolina alone, 460 lives were lost to drunk driving.

Why do people still drive drunk? Many believe they’re “fine to drive” or face social pressure to avoid leaving their cars behind. In one survey, over half of the participants admitted they’ve driven after drinking.

What helps: Lowering the legal BAC limit to 0.05%, increasing DUI checkpoints, and launching targeted public awareness campaigns have proven effective in reducing impaired driving deaths.

Speeding: A Deadly Need for Speed

Speeding contributed to 12,151 deaths in 2022, making up nearly 29% of all traffic fatalities. On average, 33 lives are lost every day due to speed-related crashes.

Who’s most at risk:

  • 35% of male drivers in fatal crashes were speeding.

  • Young drivers aged 15–24 had the highest rates of speeding-related fatalities.

  • Weekend nights were especially dangerous, with 21% of speeding deaths happening during these hours.

Speeding is often driven by frustration, overconfidence, or simply running late. But the reality is sobering: nine out of ten drivers admit to speeding at some point, and the consequences can be life-altering.

Solutions: Installing speed cameras, increasing enforcement in high-risk areas, and reminding drivers that arriving safely is always more important than arriving quickly.

Distracted Driving: Eyes Off the Road, Lives on the Line

In 2022, 3,308 people were killed due to distracted driving, about 11% of all traffic fatalities. Distractions come in many forms: texting, eating, adjusting the radio, or even zoning out while driving.

Types of distractions:

  • Visual: Taking your eyes off the road.

  • Manual: Taking your hands off the wheel.

  • Cognitive: Thinking about something other than driving.

Young drivers are especially prone to using phones behind the wheel. A recent report found:

  • 6.5% of drivers aged 16–24 use a handheld device while driving.

  • Nearly half of all drivers admitted to using their phones on the road.

Despite texting bans in 49 states and hand-held bans in 30, distracted driving remains alarmingly common.

Prevention tips: Use “Do Not Disturb” settings, keep phones out of reach, and pull over if you need to take a call or respond to a message.

Why Accountability Matters

Dangerous driving isn’t just reckless, it’s often illegal. If you or a loved one has been harmed due to someone else’s poor driving choices, legal action may be your best path forward. Holding negligent drivers accountable can lead to compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and emotional suffering.

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