WA State 10th Worst in DUI-Related Summer Vehicle Crashes, Oregon 8th

According to a new study utilizing Federal traffic safety data, WA state ranks 10th in the US in summer DUI crashes, and Oregon lands at 8th.

   Summertime is Considered June, July and August

The data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was analyzed by a Manhattan mental health group, Manhattan Mental Health Counseling, and researchers found some alarming data.  It involved all 50 states.

Get our free mobile app

The data utilized goes back 3 years, and found on average, and found that 1 in 3 accidents involved some sort of DUI in our state. 600 summer accidents were studied, 212 were directly related to DUI and the rate was just over 35 percent. The peak hour for these incidents, on average, was between 11:00 and 11:59 PM.

  Oregon Landed Even Higher on the List

While their total crashes were slightly lower, the percentage of crashes involving DUI were higher, according to the NHTSA data.  36.49 percent of the 444 crashes involved impairment, their peak time for DUI accidents was between 7 PM and 7:59 PM.

Vermont, percentage-wise, was the highest in the US, although their total number of crashes, 62, was second lowest in the study data.  But, 43 percent of those involved DUI.

Texas was also highly ranked, 2nd overall, with 1,203 of their 2,947 accidents tied to a DUI...that's 40.82 percent.

  This News Comes as WA Continues to Struggle with Its Target Zero Program.

Launched in 2017, Target Zero is an ambitious plan to reduce the number of traffic fatalities in WA state to -0-, hence, it's name. While DUI reduction is a part of lowering traffic deaths, Target Zero does not specifically zero in on that issue. It includes all forms of driving and operating vehicles that can lead to fatal accidents.

The results have been mixed, after a post COVID spike in 2023,  fatal traffic deaths overall have dropped somewhat in 2024 and 2025.