Oklahoma has found itself eighteenth on a list of the worst states for drunk driving, according to data analyzed by backgroundchecks.org and released in March 2017. Oklahoma is one to the top DUI States!
The Sooner State had a DUI death rate (per 100,000) of 4.33 and 11,101 DUI arrests. First on the list was Wyoming, followed by:
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- South Carolina
- Mississippi
- New Mexico
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Arkansas
- Idaho
- Texas
- Louisiana
- Wisconsin
- North Carolina
- Alabama
- Arizona
“To create a ranking of states, we took a combination of deaths directly attributable to DUIs, DUI arrests per 100,000 people, and drinking too much before driving, as reported by drivers themselves,” backgroundchecks.org said in its release of the data. “We then created a weighted formula.”
The original data used to create the weighted formula came from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. BackgroundChecks.org focuses on public safety, online privacy, home security and open government, and it regularly gathers new data and research on issues affecting public welfare.
Take Note: If you have lost your license and need to work on driver’s license restoration, browse through the attorney directories on www.Drunkdrivingattorneys.com or www.DriversLicenseRestorers.com. Pick an attorney experienced and knowledgeable in the driver’s license appeal (restoration) process in your state. If you need to get treatment to help make a case for restoring your license, there are treatment center directories on both sites. If you need information about points on your driving record, check your state department of motor vehicles. In Oklahoma, go here. Helping yourself is always the first step in having your DUI attorney help you.
A factor in Oklahoma making the backgroundchecks.org list very well could be the state’s lack of resources to monitor and enforce driving and DUI laws. In fact, a recent fatal shooting involving an Oklahoma state trooper, an Oklahoma City police officer, and a man they were chasing was touted as indicative of the state’s problem of officer shortages.
“It’s not a secret we’re dealing with major budget issues, short on troopers, short on personnel, straight across the board,” Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. Kera Philippi said at the time of the incident. “From what I understand the nearest trooper was on the Kilpatrick Turnpike.”
“Departments are struggling to find not only interested, but interested and qualified, candidates to join the force,” Jim Burch, vice president of the Police Foundation, said in a recent NBC News report. “With everything happening around policing from salary to criticism, the question many people are asking is ‘is it worth it?’”
Information on Oklahoma’s DUI laws can be found here. And, even more information on DUI laws across the nation can be found here.
Oklahoma City, the state’s capital, is reportedly the worst location in the state for drinking-related issues, according to an online article in 24/7 Wall St. The city is situated along the Interstate 35 Corridor, which is a prime route south into Texas and Mexico and north into Kansas.
At the time of the article, in Oklahoma City 14.2 percent of adults reported binge or heavy drinking. That was compared to 13.5 percent of adults in the state who reported an excessive drinking habit.
“The fact that over 10,000 people a year die from DUI-related accidents is a travesty,” Trent Wilson, co-author of the backgroundchecks.org research, was quoted as saying. In addition to those killed, some 200,000 sustain injuries as a direct result of someone driving under the influence, the organization notes.
“We hope this research will open some eyes and make people think twice before drinking and driving,” Wilson said.
