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Wisconsin is the worst state when it comes to drinking and driving, with 305 deaths in 2006, according to rankings from Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Wisconsin worst in nation for drunk driving deaths

26 percent of UW-Whitewater students admit to driving under the influence

By: Alex Koldeway

Posted: 12/12/07

According to the 2007 Alcohol and Other Drug Use Survey of UW-Whitewater students, 26 percent have driven while under the influence of alcohol within the last year, 10 percent have ridden with a driver who was intoxicated, and two percent said they have been arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Amy Margulies, coordinator of the employee and student assistance programs at UW-Whitewater, said students continue to drink and drive even though they are aware of the risks.

"My experience is that almost all of the students that come to campus have a good awareness that drinking and driving are not a good mix," she said. "And yet every year we know a certain percent of our student body ends up driving intoxicated."

Margulies said students make the decision to drink and drive when their judgment has been impaired by alcohol.

She said students don't usually intend to drive drunk before they go to a party or a bar, but when they leave they tell themselves "I'm not really that drunk."

"Those decisions are made while they're already drunk," she said. "The more drunk they get, the more sure they are that they're not drunk."

Margulies said the university will have a drunk driving prevention media campaign in the spring to remind people of the consequences of drinking and driving.

Wisconsin is the worst state when it comes to drinking and driving, with 305 deaths in 2006, according to rankings from Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Those deaths made up 42 percent of all the traffic deaths in the state last year, up from 38 percent in 2005.

Lindsay Desormier, victim assistance coordinator for the Wisconsin chapter of MADD, said the rankings took several factors into consideration.

"It basically was looking at the percentage of crashes that were alcohol-related, and also some of our laws," she said.

Desormier said one thing that affects the ranking is the ignition interlock law.

She said the law, which requires people with several drunk driving offenses to blow into a breathalyzer before their car will start, needs to be tougher.

"Right now there isn't a lot of follow-up," she said.