Wisconsin, America’s Dairyland, has found itself on a list of the worst states for drunk driving, according to data analyzed by backgroundchecks.org and released in March 2017.
The Badger State came in at fourteenth on the list, which identified Wisconsin as having a DUI death rate (per 100,000) of 3.27 and 24,588 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
“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 Wisconsin, go here. Helping yourself is always the first step in having your DUI attorney help you.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, in 2016 there were 5,153 alcohol-related crashes, 143 alcohol-related fatalities, and 2,933 alcohol-related injuries. Information on Wisconsin’s DUI laws can be found here. And, even more information on DUI laws across the nation can be found here.
A factor in Wisconsin making the backgroundchecks.org list very well could be the state’s lack of resources to monitor and enforce driving and DUI laws. A March 2017 report from Wisconsin Public Radio highlighted the fact that the state could see an increasing number of police retirements in the next five years.
In Superior, Wis. alone the police department is set to see “a full third of its officers become eligible for retirement over the next three years. In Superior, and across the state, department officials and local leaders are faced with a need for younger public safety professionals to replace those who are stepping away,” the news report said.
“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?’”
Appleton, the heart of the Fox River Valley, is reportedly the worst location in Wisconsin for drinking-related issues, according to an online article in 24/7 Wall St.
At the time of the article, Appleton was the heaviest drinking city in both the state and the nation, with 26.8 percent of adults reporting drinking excessively. Alcohol was involved in approximately 30.3 percent of driving deaths in the area.
“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.
