Alcohol-related traffic fatalities--United States, 1982-1989

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States for all age groups from 1 through 34 years (1). Almost half of all traffic fatalities are alcohol-related (2,3), and an estimated 40% of all persons in the United States may be involved in an alcohol-related traffic crash sometime during their lives (3). This report summarizes data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatal Accident Reporting System on trends in alcohol-related traffic fatalities (ARTFs) in the United States during 1982-1989.