About the Indicator:

These estimates provided by the National Safety Council do not attempt to include "comprehensive costs” but just direct costs of traffic crashes, deaths and injuries due to medical expense, property damage and lost productivity.

Other procedures that attempt to include comprehensive costs (e.g. those used by US Dept of Transportation) result in total cost estimates about 3 times greater than those calculated here.

Data Source: Impaired Driving Facts

About the Indicator:

As a depressant, alcohol use interferes with coordination, judgment and reaction time and can have fatal consequences.  Driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level 0.08 or higher, 0.04 in a commercial vehicle, or any amount at all if the driver is under age 21 is a legal violation and can be assessed from different sources.

Data are reported on DUI arrests and incidents on record¹.

State and national comparisons can be found here by downloading the  State Epi Profile.

¹ An incident on record refers to either 1) a civil implied consent revocation for failing or refusing an alcohol concentration test, or 2) a criminal conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, which is recorded on the person’s Minnesota driving record.

Data Source: Office of Traffic Safety, MN Department of Public Safety

Data Source: Office of Traffic Safety, MN Department of Public Safety

About the Indicator: As a depressant, alcohol use interferes with coordination, judgment and reaction time and can have fatal consequences.  Impaired behavior around motor vehicles puts drivers, pedestrians, passengers and others at risk.  Reported are the number of traffic crashes involving alcohol and the percentage of all reported motor vehicle crashes in the county involving alcohol.

In 2013, the percent of all motor vehicle crashes that were alcohol-related was 4.7% in Minnesota, as compared to 4.1% in Wisconsin, 5.9% in South Dakota, and 2.0% in Michigan.  State rates are found using the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation (DOT), South Dakota Dept. of Public Safety, and Michigan Traffic Crash Facts (MTCF);  For national comparisons, click here: State Epi Profile.

Note: Data are not available for 2003.

Data Source: Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts

About the Indicator: As a depressant, alcohol use interferes with coordination, judgment and reaction time and can have fatal consequences. Impaired behavior around motor vehicles puts drivers, pedestrians, passengers and others at risk. Reported are the number and rate of deaths in which at least one driver, pedestrian, or cyclist has been drinking.

In 2009, reported alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities is lower in Minnesota than the national average (rate ratio = 0.75:1.00). State rates are found using the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety (OTS); national rates are from Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).  For more national comparisons, click here State Epi Profile.

Data Source: Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts

About the Indicator: Drinking alcohol is a risk factor for many causes of death in Minnesota.  It is estimated that 40% of liver cirrhosis deaths, among both males and females in the United States, are alcohol-related.

In 2007, reported cirrhosis deaths were lower in Minnesota than the national average (rate ratio = 0.76:1.00). State and national rates are from CDC Wonder Compressed Mortality File. The state rates from 2012 and 2013 are calculated using population data from the Minnesota State Demographic Center and the Metropolitan Council. For more national comparisons, click here State Epi Profile.

Data Source: Alcohol-attributable fractions: Alcohol-Attributable Disease Impact (ARDI), Natality and Mortality data: Minnesota Center for Health Statistics

About the Indicator: Drinking alcohol is a risk factor for many causes of death in Minnesota.  It is estimated that 47% of all homicides, among both males and females in the United States, are alcohol-related.

In 2007, reported deaths by homicide were lower in Minnesota than the national average (rate ratio = 0.42:1.00). State and national rates are from CDC Wonder Compressed Mortality File. The state rates from 2012 and 2013 are calculated using population data from the Minnesota State Demographic Center and the Metropolitan Council. For more national comparisons, click here State Epi Profile.

Data Source: Alcohol-attributable fractions: Alcohol-Attributable Disease Impact (ARDI), Natality and Mortality data: Minnesota Center for Health Statistics

About the Indicator: School disciplinary incidents involving alcohol were obtained by school district, then aggregated to the county level.  Percentages are found by totaling each county's alcohol-related incidents and dividing them by the total amount of disciplinary incidents for that county. Each incident is counted only once; if multiple reasons per incident were reported, only the most serious reason is counted.

The Minnesota Department of Education advises that each school district follow their own definitions in their discipline policies. Minnesota law addresses the possession, use, or sale of alcohol. School policies may include being intoxicated or possessing alcohol at school, school-sponsored events and on school-sponsored transportation. Determination of use would need to be made based upon school policy consistent with state and federal law. Information on relevant state statues include: alcohol definitions, alcohol possession consumption by persons under 21, and possession of alcohol on school grounds.

Data Source: Minnesota Department of Education Data Center