Texas ranks near top for its drunk driving problem, new study reports

Yet another study of traffic statistics has ranked Texas as one of the worst states for drunk driving.

This time, the Burbank, California-based Simmrin Law Group crunched the numbers and named the Lone State State as No. 2 in the nation for its drunk-driving problem.

To create the rankings, researchers considered the number of drunk drivers involved in fatal accidents per 100,000 licensed drivers, fatalities per 100,000 residents and the percentage of traffic deaths caused by drivers with a BAC of 0.08 or higher.

The law firm's report used data sources including the NHTSA, U.S. Census Bureau and Statista, and it ranked states based on assigned scores, which topped out at 100. South Carolina's 100 score placed it at the top of the list, while Texas scored a 83.65.

New Mexico, Wyoming and Montana slotted in at third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Utah, meanwhile, had fewer drunk driving problems than anywhere else in the nation.

Breaking down the numbers, more than 42% of Texas' traffic fatalities involve drunk drivers, and the state tallied 6.13 drunk driving deaths per 100,000 residents. What's more, Texas' rate of 10.08 drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 licensed drivers is nearly double the national average, according to the study.

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