Mass. – A new analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows Massachusetts was within the top 10 of all 50 states in the percentage of fatal crashes which involved alcohol.
From 2017 to 2021, Massachusetts experienced 2,466 fatal crashes across the state. Of those, over 37 percent were fatal, a total of 929. Just eight states had a higher rate of fatal crashes including alcohol.
| State |
Total drivers in
fatal crashes |
Drivers in fatal crashes
with a BAC of 0.01 or more |
% of drivers in fatal crashes
with a BAC of 0.01 or more |
| Connecticut |
1,983 |
936 |
47.20% |
| Texas |
27,392 |
12,923 |
47.18% |
| Rhode Island |
444 |
203 |
45.72% |
| Hawaii |
687 |
293 |
42.65% |
| Montana |
1,187 |
493 |
41.53% |
| District of Columbia |
229 |
95 |
41.48% |
| Oregon |
3,430 |
1,389 |
40.50% |
| Washington |
4,132 |
1,670 |
40.42% |
| Massachusetts |
2,466 |
929 |
37.67% |
| Ohio |
8,561 |
3,192 |
37.29% |
In the last two years which data is available from the NHTSA, Massachusetts saw an increase from 2020 to 2021. In 2020, 28 percent (98 of 343, 26th highest) of fatal crashes involving alcohol were fatal. That jumped to 36 percent (150 of 417, 10th highest percentage in the US) in 2021.
A crash involving alcohol is not one where alcohol is over the legal limit for driving of a blood alcohol content of 0.08, but where blood alcohol content of 0.01 is detected.
The full list of crashes involving alcohol for each state is below.
| State |
Total drivers in
fatal crashes |
Drivers in fatal crashes
with a BAC of 0.01 or more |
% of drivers in fatal crashes
with a BAC of 0.01 or more |
| Connecticut |
1,983 |
936 |
47.20% |
| Texas |
27,392 |
12,923 |
47.18% |
| Rhode Island |
444 |
203 |
45.72% |
| Hawaii |
687 |
293 |
42.65% |
| Montana |
1,187 |
493 |
41.53% |
| District of Columbia |
229 |
95 |
41.48% |
| Oregon |
3,430 |
1,389 |
40.50% |
| Washington |
4,132 |
1,670 |
40.42% |
| Massachusetts |
2,466 |
929 |
37.67% |
| Ohio |
8,561 |
3,192 |
37.29% |
| Illinois |
8,048 |
2,955 |
36.72% |
| North Dakota |
690 |
248 |
35.94% |
| Maryland |
3,934 |
1,405 |
35.71% |
| New York |
6,920 |
2,510 |
36.27% |
| New Hampshire |
775 |
277 |
35.74% |
| Nevada |
2,403 |
836 |
34.79% |
| Arizona |
7,293 |
2,550 |
34.97% |
| California |
27,309 |
9,524 |
34.87% |
| New Mexico |
2,790 |
976 |
34.98% |
| Colorado |
4,589 |
1,553 |
33.84% |
| South Dakota |
806 |
276 |
34.24% |
| Maine |
1,028 |
345 |
33.56% |
| Wisconsin |
4,120 |
1,391 |
33.76% |
| Total |
272,993 |
92,418 |
33.85% |
| Iowa |
2,347 |
808 |
34.43% |
| South Carolina |
7,372 |
2,462 |
33.40% |
| Louisiana |
5,627 |
1,857 |
33.00% |
| Virginia |
5,983 |
1,958 |
32.73% |
| Wyoming |
779 |
247 |
31.71% |
| Michigan |
7,576 |
2,389 |
31.53% |
| Missouri |
6,659 |
2,104 |
31.60% |
| Alabama |
6,528 |
2,020 |
30.94% |
| Alaska |
467 |
146 |
31.26% |
| Nebraska |
1,660 |
515 |
31.02% |
| Pennsylvania |
8,313 |
2,562 |
30.82% |
| Arkansas |
3,987 |
1,222 |
30.65% |
| Idaho |
1,624 |
484 |
29.80% |
| Florida |
24,140 |
7,333 |
30.38% |
| North Carolina |
10,613 |
3,228 |
30.42% |
| Vermont |
428 |
130 |
30.37% |
| New Jersey |
4,191 |
1,259 |
30.04% |
| Indiana |
6,375 |
1,835 |
28.78% |
| Tennessee |
8,227 |
2,382 |
28.95% |
| Oklahoma |
4,770 |
1,322 |
27.71% |
| Delaware |
892 |
250 |
28.03% |
| Minnesota |
2,803 |
790 |
28.18% |
| Georgia |
11,592 |
3,153 |
27.20% |
| West Virginia |
1,911 |
501 |
26.22% |
| Mississippi |
4,663 |
1,172 |
25.13% |
| Kansas |
2,903 |
684 |
23.56% |
| Kentucky |
5,392 |
1,311 |
24.31% |
| Utah |
1,990 |
469 |
23.57% |
The 5-year totals were compiled by Florida Personal Injury Law Firm Anidjar & Levine. The single year totals for 2020 and 2021 are from the NHTSA.
