Consumer group ranks New Mexico fifth in nation for fatal DUIs

• More than a quarter of the deaths were individuals under 21

New Mexico ranks fifth in the nation for fatal DUIs, a consumer research group concluded in a recent study.

State residents run a significantly higher risk of being involved in a fatal accident involving a drunk driver than residents of any other state, the newly released study from ValuePenguin states.

Other sitgnificant findings include that 41 percent of all traffic fatalities in New Mexico involved alcohol-impaired drivers, and 76 percent of all DUI fatalities involved drivers whose blood alcohol level was near twice the legal limit. The data also revealed that 25.4 percent of all driving under the inlfuence fatalities were under 21 years old.

DUI fatalities are indicative of a wider problem: Since 1981, New Mexico has ranked among the top three states in the nation for the number of deaths attributed to alcohol, with one in six deaths among working adults is attributable to alcohol.

One alcohol-related traffic fatality occurs every 50 minutes in the United States. About 12 in 100,000 people died in a motor vehicle traffic accident last year, and 28 percent of those fatalities involved at least one driver under the influence.

A DUI brings painful financial and legal consequences, the study points out. A DUI can lead to thousands of dollars in fines, a 157 percent jump in auto insurance premiums, a suspended license and even jail time.

The full report can be viewed at https://www.valuepenguin.com/auto-insurance/states-where-you-are-likely-to-be-in-fatal-dui

Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, when drunk driving fatalities are four times higher than a normal weekend.