Every year across the country thousands of people die in alcohol related car accidents. In the state of Oklahoma, alcohol related car accident fatalities have been increasing since 2006. As part of their mission to improve the lives of fellow Oklahomans through a commitment to safety, for the fifth year in a row McIntyre Law, P.C. is releasing a study of alcohol-related accident trends in Oklahoma. With statistics provided by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO), and the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) McIntyre Law’s annual DUI report aims to draw attention to the concerning alcohol related accident trends across the state, as well as overarching trends from 2006-2011.
2006-2012: Five Years of the McIntyre Law DUI Report
McIntyre Law has been gathering data for the last five years in an attempt to highlight some of the concerning trends in alcohol related accidents, and deaths across the state of Oklahoma. Over that period of time, fatalities saw a significant decrease in 2009, but three years later, fatalities are near the 2008 high of 266. From 2011 to 2012, Oklahoma saw a 7% increase in alcohol-related fatalities.
One area in alcohol-related crash trends that has remained consistent over the past five years has been the gender division in driver fatalities. Men have accounted for an average of 73% of all alcohol-related driver fatalities, while women have accounted for just 27%.
Another area where the trends over this five year period are overwhelmingly consistent, is day of the week. Most crashes occur on Saturday and Sunday. Weekend drinking can turn deadly all too often.
Driving conditions vary in many of the alcohol related crashes throughout this past year, but one of the most overwhelming consistencies among the crashes is lighting. Over the past five years, 38% of drunk driving accidents occurred in rural areas with either poor lighting, or no lighting at all.
Oklahoma Alcohol-Related Crashes, Injuries and Fatalities, 2006-2012
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes | 5,442 | 4,980 | 5,201 | 4,972 | 4,614 | 4,411 | 4,291 |
| Injuries | 4,223 | 3,442 | 3,612 | 3,452 | 3,248 | 3,156 | 3,153 |
| Fatalities | 157 | 229 | 266 | 209 | 245 | 244 | 261 |
County-by-County Trends, 2006-2012
While the overall fatality trend across the state is trending towards more unfortunate accidents, injuries, and fatalities in 2012, it’s important to take a closer look at trends on a county level as well.
Counties with the Most Fatalities, 2006-2012
| County | Total Fatalities |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma County | 142 |
| Tulsa County | 132 |
| Cleveland County | 52 |
| Comanche County | 42 |
| Caddo County | 40 |
| Canadian County | 40 |
| Creek County | 39 |
| Wagoner County | 36 |
| Delaware County | 35 |
| Okmulgee County | 35 |
Counties with the Least Fatalities, 2006-2012
| County | Total Fatalities |
|---|---|
| Harmon County | 0 |
| Cimmaron County | 2 |
| Harper County | 2 |
| Cotton County | 3 |
| Jefferson County | 3 |
Fatalities in Alcohol-Related Crashes by Population, 2006-2012
Counties with the Highest Fatality Rate, 2006-2012
| County | Actual Fatalities | Population* | Fatalities Per 100,000 People |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Mills County | 9 | 3,702 | 243.11 |
| Grant County | 7 | 4,585 | 139.4 |
| Pushmataha County | 16 | 11,487 | 139.44 |
| Caddo County | 40 | 29,537 | 135.42 |
| Dewey County | 6 | 4,867 | 123.28 |
| Blaine County | 12 | 9,780 | 122.7 |
| Greer County | 7 | 6,125 | 114.29 |
| Haskell County | 14 | 12,810 | 109.29 |
| Beaver County | 6 | 5,624 | 106.69 |
| Beckham County | 23 | 22,288 | 103.19 |
*Population from 2011 Census Data
Counties with the Lowest Fatality Rate, 2006-2011
| County | Actual Fatalities | Population* | Fatalities Per 100,000 People |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harmon County | 0 | 2,919 | 0.00 |
| Garfield County | 11 | 60,670 | 18.13 |
| Jackson County | 5 | 26,447 | 18.91 |
| Oklahoma County | 142 | 732,371 | 19.39 |
| Cleveland County | 52 | 261,281 | 19.90 |
| Tulsa County | 132 | 610,599 | 21.62 |
| Texas County | 5 | 21,312 | 23.46 |
| Craig County | 4 | 15,073 | 26.54 |
| Rogers County | 28 | 87,706 | 31.92 |
| Okfuskee County | 4 | 12,348 | 32.39 |
Population density in Oklahoma varies widely from county to county; as a result, the counties per capita statistics more accurately reflect the number of fatalities by population that occurred from 2006-2012, on a county-by-county level. For example Oklahoma County has 142 fatalities since 2006, but its per capita fatality rate is much lower than Roger Mills County.
Increases and Decreases in Alcohol-Related Fatalities by County, 2011-2012
Counties with the Greatest Increase in Fatalities, 2011-2012
| County | 2011 | 2012 | Population* | Change in Fatalities Per 100,000 People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Mills County | 0 | 3 | 3,702 | 81.04 |
| Harper County | 0 | 1 | 3,695 | 27.06 |
| Grant County | 1 | 2 | 4,585 | 21.81 |
| Hughes County | 0 | 3 | 13,843 | 21.67 |
| Kiowa County | 0 | 2 | 9,416 | 21.24 |
Counties with the Greatest Decrease in Fatalities, 2011-2012
| County | 2011 | 2012 | Population* | Change in Fatalities Per 100,000 People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewey County | 3 | 1 | 4,867 | -41.09 |
| Pushmataha County | 4 | 1 | 11,478 | -26.14 |
| Ellis County | 1 | 0 | 4,051 | -24.69 |
| Alfalfa County | 1 | 0 | 5,662 | -17.66 |
| Okmulgee County | 7 | 0 | 39,937 | -17.54 |
Unfortunately Roger Mills County remains on the top of the fatalities per capita list, and this year they also saw the biggest increase in fatalities, going from zero to three. Roger Mills County was not the only county to see a significant increase in fatalities per capita. Many of the counties with lower populations also saw increases of a few fatalities that pushed their rates up. On the other side, Dewey County and Pushmataha County both saw similar decreases in fatalities from four in 2011 to just one in 2012. As a result, they are at the top of the decrease in fatality rate list.
Over the past five years we’ve been reporting on DUI statistics and trends to inspire awareness and change. At McIntyre Law, our mission to improve safety and help protect the rights of car accident victims across Oklahoma, means that each year we hope to raise awareness statewide with these drunk driving statistics. There needs to be an active and productive dialogue about how we can fix this problem.If you or a loved one has because of a drunk driving accident, and you need the help of a personal injury lawyer, please contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.