Auto Insurance
Where Are You Most Likely to Be in a Fatal DUI in Indiana?
Where Are You Most Likely to Be in a Fatal DUI in Indiana?
Worst large cities in Indiana for fatal DUIs
1. Kokomo
6.91 DUI deaths per 100,000 residents
2. Elkhart
4.46 DUI deaths per 100,000 residents
3. Terre Haute
3.84 DUI deaths per 100,000 residents
4. Lafayette
3.70 DUI deaths per 100,000 residents
5. Anderson
3.63 DUI deaths per 100,000 residents
Most dangerous places in Indiana for DUIs by city size
While above we identified the five worst large cities in Indiana for DUI fatalities, our study analyzed data from more than 500 different municipalities in the state. We grouped these cities by population: small, medium and large. Here, we rank each city based on DUI fatality rates from the most recent three-year period where data was available based on their respective sizes.
Within the top 10 cities for DUI fatalities, across size groups, 90% had DUI fatality rates higher than the Indiana state average. Overall, midsize cities tended to be safer than large or small cities, with an average of 1.48 DUI deaths per 100,000 residents, compared to 1.98 for large cities and 2.55 for small cities. Of all the Indiana municipalities analyzed, eight of the top 10 most dangerous cities were considered small, with a population between 10,000 and 19,999.
Notably, across all categories, many high-ranking cities were in more rural areas outside of Indianapolis, the largest metropolitan area in the state. In fact, Indianapolis scored better than most of its large-city peers and saw a lower DUI fatality rate than the state average of 1.91. While Indianapolis did not have a particularly high concentration of DUI-related deaths per capita, half of the medium-sized cities in the top 10 were outside Gary, Ind., and much closer to Chicago.
Large Indiana cities with the biggest increase in fatal DUIs
Of the largest Indiana cities analyzed, 30% saw their DUI fatality rate increase. The city of Anderson had the largest jump, tripling its fatality rate from 1.21 to 3.63. Kokomo is the only large city to have remained in the top five most dangerous cities for DUI deaths in both 2012-2014 and 2015-2017.
Rank | City | 2012‒2014 DUI fatality rate | 2015‒2017 DUI fatality rate | % change | Difference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Anderson | 1.21 | 3.63 | 200% | 2.42 |
2 | Noblesville | 1.06 | 2.64 | 150% | 1.58 |
3 | Columbus | 1.40 | 2.1 | 50% | 0.70 |
4 | Kokomo | 4.61 | 6.91 | 50% | 2.30 |
5 | Elkhart | 3.82 | 4.46 | 17% | 0.64 |
Most-improved large cities in Indiana for fatal DUIs
The DUI fatality rate for large cities in Indiana dropped 14% between 2012 and 2014, from 2.30 to 1.98. This drop is comparable with the overall state average trend for DUI fatalities, which saw a slightly larger decrease of 19% from 2.34 to 1.91. The five large Indiana cities below either saw no DUI deaths between 2015 and 2017 or decreased fatalities by two-thirds over the period.
Rank | City | 2012-2014 DUI fatality rate | 2015-2017 DUI fatality rate | % change | Difference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Greenwood | 1.13 | 0.00 | -100% | -1.13 |
2 | Jeffersonville | 0.70 | 0.00 | -100% | -0.70 |
3 | Fishers | 0.36 | 0.00 | -100% | -0.36 |
4 | West Lafayette | 2.07 | 0.69 | -67% | -1.38 |
5 | Mishawaka | 2.00 | 0.67 | -67% | -1.33 |
Consequences of driving while under the influence in Indiana
Indiana drivers with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or higher can be subject to repercussions such as hefty fines, license suspension, jail time and community service. Drivers with a DUI conviction can also face substantially higher car insurance costs due to the increased risk associated with their driving record. Below, we identify the legal ramifications of first, second and third offenses for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in Indiana.
First offense
When convicted of a DUI for the first time, an offender may be required to:
- Pay court fees of at least $300 and fines up to $5,000.
- Spend up to one year in jail.
- Surrender their license for up to two years.
- Enroll in a substance abuse education program.
- Enter a probation program.
- Submit frequent drug and alcohol tests.
- Attend a compulsory victim impact panel.
Second offense
After a second DUI offense, Indiana drivers may have to:
- Spend at least five days and up to three years in prison.
- Perform community service.
- Pay fines up to $10,000.
- Surrender their license for at least 180 days and up to two years.
- Face additional probationary restrictions.
Third offense
Three-time DUI offenders in Indiana may have to:
- Spend a minimum of 10 days and up to three years in prison.
- Perform community service.
- Pay fines up to $10,000.
- Surrender their license for one to 10 years.
- Be designated as a habitual traffic violator.
- Be charged and sentenced as a habitual substance offender with additional prison time.
- Face additional probationary restrictions.
Convicted DUI offenders also need to obtain SR-22 insurance, typically for five years, until the state restores driving privileges.
Complete list of Indiana cities with DUI fatality rankings
Rank | City | Size | DUI fatalities per 100,000 residents |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Martinsville | Small | 14.31 |
2 | Greenfield | Medium | 7.38 |
3 | Chesterton | Small | 7.22 |
4 | Kokomo | Large | 6.91 |
5 | Wabash | Small | 6.63 |
6 | Jasper | Small | 6.42 |
7 | Greencastle | Small | 6.33 |
8 | Frankfort | Small | 6.31 |
9 | Vincennes | Small | 5.82 |
10 | Logansport | Small | 5.64 |
11 | New Albany | Medium | 4.55 |
12 | Warsaw | Small | 4.46 |
Methodology
We identified the total number of fatalities caused by DUI-related crashes in counties reporting at least one fatal DUI from 2012-2017 via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for Indiana. We then calculated the average DUI-related fatalities per year and compared this figure to U.S. Census Bureau data for Indiana counties. We considered large cities to have populations of more than 40,000 residents, medium cities to have populations of 20,000 to 39,999 residents, and small cities to have populations of 10,000 to 19,999 residents.
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