What percentage of vehicle collisions are related to alcohol?

• A. 10%
• B. 50%
• C. 5%
• D. 30%

Answer: (D)

Alcohol impairment is a major contributor to vehicle crashes, and a common estimate places its involvement at about 30% of collisions. This means roughly three out of ten crashes involve alcohol, either a driver or rider who was impaired at the time. The idea behind this statistic is that alcohol slows reaction time, reduces coordination, and impairs judgment, making errors more likely and increasing the chance of a crash. The other numbers don’t fit typical statistics: 50% would overstate alcohol involvement, while 10% or 5% would greatly understate it. Keep in mind that in fatal crashes the share is often higher, but for all crashes the figure is commonly cited around 30%.