DWI Statistics By Age and Gender
According to data provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), nearly 1.4 million Americans are arrested on DWI charges each year. Although anyone could be arrested on suspicion of impaired driving, the data is clear:
- Younger drivers are more likely to be charged with a DWI; and
- Male drivers are more likely to be charged with a DWI.
At the Law Office of Matthew V. Portella, LLC, we provide aggressive, competent, and solutions-centered legal representation in DWI cases. In this article, our New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyer Matthew V. Portella provides an overview of DWI statistics by age and gender.
An Overview of DWI Statistics By Age
One of the primary risk factors for intoxicated driving is age. Younger drivers are more likely to be arrested and charged with a DWI and they are more likely to be involved in a DWI-related accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that:
- 27% of drivers cited for DWI are between the ages of 21 and 24; and
- 25% of drivers cited for DWI are between the ages of 24 and 34.
As drivers get older, they are less likely to face a drunk driving charge. Of course, this pattern is by no means restricted merely to DWI cases. Arrest rates and conviction rates decrease with age for virtually every type of traffic and criminal offense.
An Overview of DWI Statistics By Gender
There is also a significant gender gap in DWI arrests in New Jersey and throughout the United States. Studies suggest that men make up approximately 75 percent of all drunk driving and drugged driving arrests nationwide.
Further, men are responsible for nearly 80 percent of DWI accident fatalities. That being said, the gap has been changing. In the 1970s, male drivers made up more than 90 percent of all DWI arrests in the United States.
Notably, the DWI arrest gender gap is similar to the overall gender gap for criminal charges. According to data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Program, men accounted for 73.9 percent of all arrests in 2015.
Anyone Can Be Charged With Intoxicated Driving
The data is clear: both younger drivers and male drivers are overrepresented in DWI motor vehicle crashes and DWI arrests. Males between the age of 21 and 24 are arrested for drunk driving at the highest rate of any group. That being said, intoxicated driving charges are by no means restricted to any demographic group.
People of all different backgrounds—age, gender, race, national origin, etc.—have been arrested and charged with a DWI in New Jersey.
Call Our New Jersey DWI Defense Attorney for Immediate Help
At the Law Office of Matthew V. Portella, LLC, our New Jersey DWI defense lawyer has aggressively defended the legal rights of clients for more than two and a half decades. If you or your loved one was arrested for drunk driving or drugged driving, he is here to help.
Call today or contact us online for a fully confidential case evaluation. From our law office in Haddonfield, DWI defense attorney Matthew V. Portella provides representation throughout New Jersey.