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How does South Dakota Perform on DUI?

• South Dakota consistently ranks near the bottom in the US for DUI deaths and injuries

• The worst state for deaths of children• It is possible DUI casualties on tribal lands are

unreported by the state, toll may be even worse

• The state made impressive gains in the mid-2000s, but then progress stopped!

• Federal grant money ran out and somebody pulled the plug on vigorous enforcement!

• Why, Why, Why victims ask?

Every picture tells a story…

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  2013 20012013 vs

2001 Change

Percent Change

Total DUI Crashes 986 1,137 -151 -13.28%

DUI Fatal Crashes 37 65 -28 -43.08%

DUI Injury Crashes 454 563 -109 -19.36%

DUI PDO Crashes 495 509 -14 -2.75%

DUI Fatalities 42 75 -33 -44.00%

DUI Injuries 639 851 -212 -24.91%

DUI Arrests 8,683 8,956 -273 -3.05%

DUI Convictions 6,083 5,559 524 +9.43%

South Dakota DUI 2001 vs 2013 Comparison

• At first glance, it would appear things are “better” now than in 2001, which is true.

• But progress has definitively stalled…

[All data in tables and charts from Source: SD Motor Vehicle Crash Summary for years 2007, 2013, https://dps.sd.gov/enforcement/accident_records/Annual_Crash_Reports.aspx.]

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Had the mid-2000 trends continued, by 2013 there would have been only about

half the DUI crashes as actually occurred.

Actual trend flat-lines starting in 2007

South Dakota DUI Crashes 2001 - 2013

DUI Crashes are the best indication of “DUI Incidence”

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If DUI deaths followed the mid-2000 DUI crash trends, there would have been

half the number of deaths in 2013.

The trend flat-lines starting in 2008

75

91 94

78 74

72

62

48

61

49

37

53

42

South Dakota DUI Fatalities 2001 - 2013

Fatalities are heavily influenced by safer cars (e.g., air bags) and better trauma care

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Had DUI injuries also followed the mid-2000 DUI crash trends, there would have been hundreds fewer

injuries by 2013.

Actual trend flat-lines starting in 2007

South Dakota DUI Injuries 2001 - 2013

Injuries are also influenced by safer cars

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DUI risk would also have been cut in half by 2013 if the mid-2000 DUI crash

trends continued.

Actual trend flat-lines starting in 2007

South Dakota DUI Risk 2001 - 2013

DUI Risk is the probability of being killed or injured in a DUI crash.South Dakotans have a 1-in-12 chance or 8% lifetime risk of being a DUI casualty

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DUI risk would also have been cut in half by 2013 if the mid-2000 DUI crash

trends continued.

Actual trend flat-lines starting in 2007

Convictions

Arrests collapse from 11,756 in 2007 to only 8,683 in 2013

South Dakota DUI Arrests and Convictions 2001 - 2013

DUI arrests drop to early 2000 levels when federal grant end.Why didn’t the state continue funding vigorous enforcement?

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Commentary on Trends

• As parents of a DUI victim we wonder:–Would Ron Fischer have been caught driving drunk before he killed

two people?–Would Maegan have died if the state simply kept up the efforts of the

mid-2000s? –There would have been half as many deaths and injuries.

• The state made impressive gains in the mid-2000s, but then progress stopped!–Somebody or a group made a decision to pull the plug.

Why, Why, Why victims ask?–Scores of deaths and hundreds of needless injuries would have been

avoided• What is Governor Daugaard’s answer?

See our Mitchell Daily Republic commentary, February 28, 2014