The worst large cities in Indiana for fatal DUIs

The 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, Indiana, 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.

The 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.

The 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:

Second offense

After a second DUI offense, Indiana drivers may have to:

Third offense

Three-time DUI offenders in Indiana may have to:

Convicted DUI offenders will 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

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 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.