NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590 1

 

Overview

The data in this research note demonstrate that while the 

overall proportion of passenger vehicle drivers with alcohol in 

fatal crashes is lower in older age groups, the median blood 

alcohol concentration (BAC) is generally higher for those age 

groups. However, for motorcycle operators the age groups 

with the highest level of alcohol involvement also have the 

highest median BAC levels. This research note identifies 

differences between age groups and within vehicle types, 

based on the proportion of drivers with positive BACs 

(BAC≥.01) by showing differences between passenger vehicle 

(passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans) driver and 

motorcycle operator BAC levels across age groups. Passenger 

vehicle drivers in the age groups 20-29 and 30-39 had the 

highest proportion of drivers with positive BAC levels. 

However, motorcycle operators in the age groups 30-39 and 

40-49 had the highest proportion of drivers with positive BAC 

levels. 

Background

The findings presented in “Alcohol Involvement in Fatal 

Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes, 2003” provided the initial 

background for this research note. While that technical report 

focused on the BAC distribution by vehicle type, this research 

note focuses on BAC distribution by age group and vehicle 

type interaction. Furthermore, it complements research done 

in “Alcohol Involvement in Fatal Motorcycle Crashes” by 

extending the analysis to vehicle types other than motorcycles 

while using the same age groups. As an extension of the 

previous studies, it examines the distribution of BAC levels 

within certain age groups, vehicle types, and age groups 

within vehicle types. 

Methodology

This analysis uses data from the National Highway Traffic 

Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting 

System (FARS). FARS data are collected and maintained by 

NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 

(NCSA). The vehicle types and driver/operator ages were 

clustered into the following groups: 

• Vehicle Types – passenger cars, SUVs, pickup 

trucks, vans, and motorcycles. 

• Age Groups – under 20, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 

50-59, and over 59. 

Drivers with unknown ages were excluded from this analysis. 

The statistical analysis centered on the computation of the 

passenger vehicle driver or motorcycle operator median BAC 

(where BAC≥ .01) for the different age groups and vehicle 

types. This study used the existing multiple imputation 

procedure to compute alcohol estimates for all possible BAC 

values. Once these estimates were made, a median was 

calculated for each group of interest. Since extreme values 

can distort the mean, the median provides a better measure of 

central tendency. 

Data Analysis 

In order to understand the relationship between alcohol 

involvement in fatal crashes and the median BAC levels of the 

drivers involved, this study examines FARS data at several 

different levels, including the level of alcohol involvement, 

the median driver/operator age, the median BAC by age group 

within vehicle type, and the median BAC by year and vehicle 

type, across all age groups. Data from 2004 are presented in 

the main body of the report, and data for 2000-2003 are 

included as a comparison for trends at the end of this report. 

1. Alcohol Involvement 

Table 1 demonstrates that the 20-29 and 30-39 age groups are 

those with the highest rates of alcohol involvement for drivers 

of passenger cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans. However for 

motorcycle operators, the age groups with the highest rates of 

alcohol involvement were 30-39 and 40-49. This table shows 

only the data from the year 2004, but data from years 2000-

2003 (provided at the end of the report) demonstrate the same 

pattern with alcohol involvement across the age groups and 

vehicle types. 

DOT HS 810 598 July 2006

Driver Alcohol Involvement in Fatal Crashes by Age Group and Vehicle Type 

Timothy M. Pickrell 1 

1 Timothy M. Pickrell is a researcher with the Mathematical Analysis Division and can be reached at tpickrell@dot.gov.
 NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590 2

Table 1: Drivers/Operators Involved in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Type and Age Group 

Passenger Cars SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles

Age 

Group Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥

.01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥

.01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥

.01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥

.01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥

.01

< 20 3,955 20% 774 19% 1,008 21% 170 19% 237 12% 

20-29 7,188 39% 1,987 36% 2,471 37% 581 22% 1,070 31% 

30-39 3,644 32% 1,697 27% 2,106 33% 789 18% 889 41% 

40-49 3,277 28% 1,521 24% 2,166 30% 837 16% 988 41% 

50-59 2,398 19% 951 20% 1,416 24% 556 11% 667 29% 

> 59 4,726 8% 776 13% 1,488 13% 685 6% 237 24% 

Unknown 205 27% 40 31% 60 20% 32 20% 7 27% 

Total 25,393 26% 7,746 26% 10,715 28% 3,650 15% 4,095 34% 

Source: NCSA, FARS 2004 (ARF) 

2. Median BAC by Age Group within Vehicle Type 

Table 2 shows that the median BAC levels for drivers (with 

BAC ≥ .01) of passenger vehicles varies by age group and 

year. For example, passenger car drivers in the 40-49 age 

group had a median BAC level of .18, demonstrating that half 

of all passenger car drivers with alcohol in that age group had 

BAC levels less than .18 and half had BAC levels greater than 

.18. Motorcycle operators in the 30-39 and 40-49 age groups 

appear to have had higher median BAC levels in 2004, but this 

was not a consistent pattern across the five years of the study 

data. For motorcycle operators the age groups with the 

greatest proportion of alcohol involvement are also the age 

groups with the higher median BAC levels. It is important to 

note that for passenger vehicle drivers, the age groups with the 

highest proportion of alcohol involvement are not those with 

the highest median BAC levels. 

3. BAC Percentiles by Vehicle Type 

Table 3 gives more details about the BAC levels of drivers in 

fatal crashes by vehicle type across all age groups. Without 

separating the drivers by age groups, motorcycle operators still 

had the lowest median BAC level. The 25th and 75th

percentiles show that motorcycle operators generally had a 

lower BAC level than drivers of other vehicle types at all 

levels. This might indicate that motorcycle operators have a 

lower BAC threshold for fatal crashes than do drivers of 

passenger cars. As a further example, for SUVs the 75th

percentile (the third quartile) is .22, indicating that one-quarter 

of SUV drivers with alcohol had BAC levels equal to or 

greater than .22, which is slightly less than three times the 

legal limit for intoxication (BAC≥ .08) in all States, the 

District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Table 3 also shows 

that the 25th percentile of BAC is greater than .08 for all 

vehicle types. Thus across all vehicle types, more than 75 

percent of drivers/operators with alcohol had BACs greater 

than .08. Furthermore, examining the 75th percentile of BAC 

for each vehicle type shows that they range from .19 (for 

motorcycle operators) to .23 (for vans). Since a BAC level of 

.16 is twice the legal limit in all States, the District of 

Columbia, and Puerto Rico, the 75th percentile of BAC for 

each vehicle type demonstrates that more than 25 percent of 

drivers with alcohol in fatal crashes have BAC levels greater 

than twice the legal limit. 

Table 2: Median BAC of Drivers/Operators in Fatal 

Crashes by Age Group and Vehicle Type 

Age 

Group 

Passenger 

Cars 

SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles 

<20 .12 .13 .13 .14 .14 

20-29 .15 .16 .16 .15 .13 

30-39 .17 .18 .18 .17 .15

40-49 .18 .17 .17 .18 .15 

50-59 .18 .17 .18 .18 .14 

>59 .13 .14 .15 .14 .13 

Source: NCSA, FARS 2004 (ARF) 
 NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590 3

4. Summary 

This research note highlights some important facts about the 

rates of alcohol involvement by age group and vehicle type 

and the corresponding median BAC levels. This study also 

demonstrates that there are differences in median BAC levels 

between age groups within vehicle types. Some important 

points are summarized below: 

• The age groups with the largest driver alcohol 

involvement in fatal crashes for passenger vehicle drivers 

were 20-29 and 30-39, whereas for motorcycle operators 

it was 30-39 and 40-49. 

• The motorcycle operator age groups with the highest 

proportion of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes are also 

those with the highest median BAC levels. In this 

respect, motorcycle operators are distinctly different from 

passenger vehicle drivers. 

• For passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes, 

the age groups with the highest proportion of alcohol 

involvement do not correspond to the age groups with the 

highest median BAC levels. The age groups with the 

highest proportion of alcohol involvement for passenger 

vehicle drivers were generally younger than the age 

groups with the highest median BAC levels. 

• Without respect to age, motorcycle operators with alcohol 

in fatal crashes had a lower median BAC level than other 

vehicle type operators. 

• Three-fourths (75%) of drivers with alcohol in fatal 

crashes had BAC levels of .10 or .11 which is greater than 

the legal limit in all States, the District of Columbia, and 

Puerto Rico. 

• One-fourth (25%) of drivers with alcohol in fatal crashes 

had BAC levels of .21 which is more than twice the legal 

limit in all States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto 

Rico. 

• Motorcycle operators with alcohol in fatal crashes had 

lower BAC levels overall. 

Table 3: BAC of Drivers/Operators in Fatal Crashes 

 by Vehicle Type

Body P25 Median (P50) P75 

Passenger Cars .10 .16 .21 

SUVS .11 .16 .22 

Pickups .11 .17 .22 

Vans .11 .16 .23 

Motorcycles .09 .14 .19 

Note: P25, P50 and P75 refer to the 25th, 50th, and the 75th

percentiles, respectively.

Source: NCSA, FARS 2004 (ARF) 
 NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590 4

Additional Data 

Drivers/Operators Involved in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Type and Age Group - 2000 

Passenger Cars SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles

Age 

Group Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

< 20 4,321 22% 638 22% 1,128 21% 203 15% 167 20% 

20-29 7,323 40% 1,493 34% 2,564 36% 600 24% 850 34% 

30-39 4,492 39% 1,340 28% 2,365 36% 979 19% 732 49% 

40-49 3,566 31% 1,073 22% 1,977 34% 884 17% 698 51% 

50-59 2,482 21% 587 16% 1,291 24% 565 14% 360 35% 

> 59 5,218 8% 388 14% 1,436 14% 638 8% 159 14% 

Unknown 259 34% 25 31% 59 36% 33 25% 5 54% 

Total 27,661 28% 5,544 26% 10,820 30% 3,902 17% 2,971 40% 

Drivers/Operators Involved in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Type and Age Group - 2001 

Passenger Cars SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles

Age 

Group Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

< 20 4,190 21% 671 18% 1,137 25% 189 14% 193 11% 

20-29 7,414 39% 1,507 34% 2,423 41% 574 22% 942 33% 

30-39 4,339 38% 1,417 29% 2,318 34% 909 18% 828 44% 

40-49 3,647 30% 1,128 27% 2,119 33% 856 18% 753 47% 

50-59 2,483 19% 677 20% 1,383 25% 544 14% 387 34% 

> 59 5,106 7% 490 13% 1,496 13% 627 8% 154 17% 

Unknown 265 31% 33 32% 61 39% 37 24% 4 23% 

Total 27,444 27% 5,923 26% 10,937 31% 3,736 16% 3,261 37% 

Drivers/Operators Involved in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Type and Age Group - 2002 

Passenger Cars SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles

Age 

Group Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

< 20 4,351 20% 775 22% 1,104 24% 163 17% 159 13% 

20-29 7,388 39% 1,704 35% 2,573 40% 536 27% 897 35% 

30-39 4,174 35% 1,585 28% 2,262 36% 889 20% 806 49% 

40-49 3,540 30% 1,303 26% 2,204 31% 854 19% 808 48% 

50-59 2,416 19% 805 20% 1,370 24% 567 15% 509 31% 

> 59 5,075 7% 547 7% 1,431 15% 670 7% 180 14% 

Unknown 292 28% 41 30% 63 41% 29 35% 4 55% 

Total 27,236 27% 6,760 26% 11,007 30% 3,708 18% 3,363 39% 
 NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590 5

Drivers/Operators Involved in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Type and Age Group - 2003 

Passenger Cars SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles

Age 

Group Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

Total 

No.

Percent 

BAC ≥ .01

< 20 4,051 23% 825 21% 952 20% 172 13% 204 13% 

20-29 7,171 38% 1,785 34% 2,550 37% 561 23% 969 29% 

30-39 3,953 32% 1,619 28% 2,178 33% 829 18% 871 46% 

40-49 3,498 28% 1,452 26% 2,251 33% 869 18% 916 48% 

50-59 2,500 20% 888 17% 1,495 25% 584 13% 614 33% 

> 59 4,981 8% 651 11% 1,582 11% 679 7% 222 10% 

Unknown 268 31% 46 32% 64 26% 33 25% 4 50% 

Total 26,422 26% 7,266 25% 11,072 29% 3,727 16% 3,800 36% 

Source: NCSA, FARS 2000-2003 (Final) 

Median BAC of Drivers/Operators in Fatal Crashes by Age Group and Vehicle Type 

2000 2001 

Age 

Group 

Passenger 

Cars 

SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles Passenger 

Cars SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles 

<20 .12 .13 .13 .14 .13 .12 .12 .13 .12 .11 

20-29 .15 .15 .16 .17 .13 .15 .16 .16 .15 .13 

30-39 .17 .16 .17 .17 .14 .17 .17 .17 .16 .14 

40-49 .18 .17 .18 .17 .17 .18 .18 .18 .17 .15 

50-59 .16 .14 .18 .17 .13 .17 .19 .18 .17 .14 

>59 .12 .14 .15 .18 .09 .12 .16 .17 .13 .16 

2002 2003 

Age 

Group 

Passenger 

Cars 

SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles Passenger 

Cars SUVs Pickups Vans Motorcycles 

<20 .12 .12 .12 .14 .09 .13 .13 .14 .14 .13 

20-29 .15 .16 .16 .17 .12 .15 .15 .16 .15 .13 

30-39 .17 .17 .17 .18 .14 .17 .16 .18 .17 .14 

40-49 .18 .18 .19 .15 .15 .17 .17 .18 .17 .15 

50-59 .17 .17 .20 .15 .14 .17 .16 .18 .15 .14 

>59 .13 .13 .16 .16 .12 .14 .16 .15 .15 .13 

Source: NCSA, FARS 2000-2003 (Final) 
 NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis 400 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20590 6

BAC of Drivers/Operators in Fatal Crashes 

By Vehicle Type

2000 2001 Body P25 Median (P50) P75 P25 Median (P50) P75 

Passenger Cars .10 .15 .21 .10 .16 .21 

SUVs .10 .15 .21 .10 .16 .22 

Pickups .11 .17 .22 .11 .17 .22 

Vans .11 .17 .22 .09 .16 .22 

Motorcycles .09 .14 .20 .08 .14 .19 

2002 2003 Body P25 Median (P50) P75 P25 Median (P50) P75 

Passenger Cars .10 .16 .21 .10 .16 .21 

SUVs .11 .16 .22 .10 .16 .21 

Pickups .11 .17 .22 .11 .17 .22 

Vans .10 .16 .22 .10 .16 .22 

Motorcycles .09 .14 .19 .09 .14 .20 

Note: P25, P50 and P75 refer to the 25th, 50th, and the 75th percentiles, respectively.

Source: NCSA, FARS 2000-2003 (Final) 

References 

Subramanian, Rajesh: “Alcohol Involvement in Fatal Motor 

Vehicle Traffic Crashes, 2003,” NHTSA Research Note, DOT 

HS 809 822, August 2005. Available at wwwnrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/Rpts/2005/809822.pdf. 

Shankar, Umesh: “Alcohol Involvement in Fatal Motorcycle 

Crashes,” NHTSA Research Note, DOT HS 809576, April 

2003. Available at www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/ 

NCSA/RNotes/2003/809-576.pdf. 

Acknowledgements 

Thanks to Anders Longthorne, Rajesh Subramanian, Joseph 

Tessmer, and Umesh Shankar for their editorial comments. 

For additional copies of this research note, please call 800-

934-8517, or fax your request to 202-366-3189. For questions 

regarding the data reported in this document, contact Timothy 

M. Pickrell at 202-366-2903. This research note and other 

general information on highway traffic safety may be accessed 

by Internet users at www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd30/ncsa/AvailInf.html.

U.S. Department of Transportation 

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration 

400 Seventh Street, SW, NPO-121 

Washington, DC 20590