2020 Saw An Increase in Fatal OWI Crashes

Saturday, January 2nd, 2021 -- 9:00 AM

(WBAY) New Year’s celebrations may not have included traditional party plans, but law enforcement agencies are pleading with people who do plan to go to friends houses or bars, perhaps this weekend, to choose a designated driver before ever leaving home.

Despite the pandemic and stay at home orders, 2020 has turned into one of the worst, in several years, when it comes to fatal OWI crashes.  What investigators are seeing is a trend that both puzzles and concerns them.

2019 was ending in a hopeful way. Low numbers of people were killed at the hands of a drunk driver for the first time in decades.  Many had hoped that was the start of a positive trend.

2020 proved us all wrong.  Two-thirds of all fatal crashes in 2020 involved people severely impaired by alcohol or drugs including meth, cocaine and marijuana.  But it’s a bit puzzling it happened at a time when people were not going to bars and restaurants as usual.

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