By Associated Press
Birmingham, AL – State troopers say drunken drivers have become too much of a norm in Alabama.
Of 1,110 highway deaths last year, 475 were alcohol-related. That's more than 42 percent.
Col. Chris Murphy, director of the Alabama Department of Public Safety said DUIs are fatalities waiting to happen.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Alabama ranked No.8 in 2006 among the states with the highest number of alcohol-related road deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. DPS alcohol-related road death data include drunken pedestrians. The maximum blood-alcohol level under Alabama law is 0.08 grams per deciliter or above.
The average blood-alcohol level of drunken drivers arrested by state troopers is 1.4 to 1.5 with the highest being 2.2.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)