The first reason is drunks have a higher tendency to drive larger vehicles like trucks and SUVs, which puts others in smaller vehicle in more danger. The mass difference between vehicles that crash in to each other can have a significant effect on how well people in the vehicles are protected in a crash. The difference in mass is also not necessarily linear. A vehicle that weighs 1.1 times as much as the other one that it hits will typically also be 1.1 times as strong and resist deformation in a wreck by that much more. This causes the lighter vehicle to get smashed in more, not only from hitting a heavier vehicle, but additionally up to another 1.1 times as much because the lighter vehicle has to make up for the amount that the heavier and stronger vehicle did not deform and smash in. So the effect of vehicles of different mass hitting each other could be closer to the square of the difference in mass. Something has to give in a head on crash, and if one vehicle is strong and resists deformation, then the other one must get smashed in that much more to make up for it. According to a 2004 study called “THE “ARMS RACE” ON AMERICAN ROADS”, for every life that is saved by driving a large vehicle, 4.3 other lives are lost as a result.
The second reason is the not at fault driver usually tries to steer away from a wrong way drunk driver. This causes the not at fault vehicle to get hit at an angle, which puts it at a significant disadvantage. In this kind of crash, the driver can move to the left and miss hitting the airbag. The NHTSA calls these oblique crashes, and they do some oblique crash tests. The “2006 Ford Taurus … oblique overlap frontal crash test (15° / No Rail Contact)” crash test is a perfect example of where a drunk would walk away from the accident. It was done at a combined speed of only 60 mph, which is city traffic speed. Most crash tests are done at 40 mph, or a combined speed of 80 mph.
And finally the third reason may be that drunks tend to be younger and closer to their prime and therefore better able to survive a traumatic accident.
People keep saying that drunks survive because their muscles are relaxed. It just keeps being repeated over and over. I don’t know of any evidence to support this, and I don’t see how this could be more than a minor advantage considering everything else.
Some people attribute it to the drunk being very “floppy” at the point of impact, and not “tensing-up”. Who knows for sure?
I can tell you that, when I was a kid, I was riding in the back of my father’s '63 Plymouth when it was rear-ended by a guy driving a '55 or '56 Ford. I saw the driver’s door fly open and witnessed his body rolling–over and over and over again–on the pavement.
A NY State Trooper was on scene within a couple of minutes, and after checking the guy lying on the pavement, he said, “Oh, drunk AGAIN?”
Apparently that driver had a history with the NYSP, and when the rescue squad showed up, they found that he had only some abrasions from his trip across the pavement. No broken bones or any other serious injuries.
For the benefit of @old_mopar_guy, I’ll mention that this was on the old Route 17, in the vicinity of Tuxedo, NY.
I absolutely abhor drunk drivers. Part of the reason I think they survive is that people who do wrong are rewarded in this life. Treachery and deceit win every time.
The scumbag person lives to 90 sometimes while the good person dies of cancer at 50. Ive seen it mamy times. Life is not fair for some reason.
If there is a God then they must get great amusement out of this mess.
References, please. All of America has a tendency to drive trucks and SUVs. I’d like to see any study that shows a higher percentage of drunks driving occurs in these vehicles.
And nowhere in that 2004 study addressed impaired drivers as a cause.
No, the vector sum of the crash is 0 mph. 30 mph one way and 30 mph the other way equaling a vector sum of zero. Newton tells us that is like hitting a structure that does not move at 30 mph.
Show me proof of that as well. Alcoholics come in all ages. I know LOTS of old drunks!
I know that every time I go driving drunk and hit someone I survive by planning. Always wear your PPE - helmet and pads and stuff. Ok, not funny. I enjoy my beer and whisky but I don’t get at all compromised if I need to drive.
I grew up near there. Old 17 is one of those roads where you’re always at higher risk than, say the “new 17” (which is supposed to turn into I-86 at some point?) Reasonably narrow, lots of traffic, and “stuff” going on.
The mention of Tuxedo reminded me a funny story from my high school days. In Tuxedo is a super-ritsy, very expensive and exclusive neighborhood called Tuxedo Park. I somehow landed a date with a girl from that neighborhood.
At the time, the family was struggling to get a lumber and building supply off the ground. My mom was trying to handle 6 kids in beater pick-ups from the lumber yard. My only choice for driving to the date on that particular day was an old Chevy 9’ flatbed. Pretty much the one pictured, but in bright yellow.
So yeah, there I went into Tuxedo Park to pick up my date in that monster. We had an ok time (even though she changed the restaurant destination because of how I was dressed).
Then, I’m sure you will remember the curvy section of 17 where that guy hit us. Very close to the old Red Apple Rest, which was on the Northbound side. We were going South.
Ah, I miss the old Red Apple Rest. It was a must stop every time we went thru that way - often on the way to the Jersey Shore. My grandparents were from Deepwater & Penns Grove, and called it going “down home.” My great grandfather was actually the lighthouse keeper at the Deepwater Range Light which was retired (along with g-gpa) when the Delaware Memorial Bridge was built. The “lighthouse” became a “bot” and DuPont built junk all over where the house/light were. I often wish I could have seen it.
I know that it is a common conception that drunks usuall come out better that whoever they hit but I have never seen a statistical study of it. Many people like to believe things that are just not true.
No evidence but one real life experience.
My husband and I were in a bus accident. Bus rear ended a stopped cement truck at fairly high speed. We were in the front row. Husband was awake and saw accident unfold. I was asleep. Husband suffered a broken leg. I was unharmed.
Buick Envista - highest where 7.2% of owners have a DUI
Buick Encore GX
Chevy Volt EV - A CAR
Chevy Astro
Chevy Blazer
Jaguar XF - A CAR
Buick Enclave
Volkswagen New Beetle - A CAR
Chrysler Pacifica
Ford Bronco - lowest out of 10 where 1.68% of owners have a DUI
The above list is based on the number of owners with a DUI per number of registered vehicles. It is not adjusted for the total number of vehicles registered. A rare limited edition vehicle where only 10 were made and one owner had a DUI would then make the list as 10% of owners have a DUI, even though you would probably never see any of these vehicles on the road in your life.
Only 3 out of the 10 vehicles in the second list are actually cars.
Only 3 out of 10 cars on the road today are cars (sedans) and dropping. 7 of 10 vehicles are SUVs, trucks or minivans. This matches the spread listed in these 2 articles. Yes, 7/10 drunks drive SUVs, trucks or minivans but so do everyone else.
No conclusions can be drawn from the type of vehicle you see on the road and the driver operating it.
And drunk WALKING has been the cause of a significant percentage of alcohol related deaths! About 30% of the pedestrians killed by a car were drunk. The same percentage as fatal car-only accidents.
+1
I know a guy who constantly rants about SUV drivers and pickup drivers who honk at him (he consistently drives 10-15 mph under the posted speed), and said that he is rarely honked-at by drivers of cars. When I showed him a breakdown of car sales–by vehicle type–he began to understand why he is rarely honked-at by drivers of cars.
What about all the ones driving older cars that have been and still are driving drunk to some degree or another that have never had a wreck, or that was involved in a single car driver only crash that was not written up as a DUI and never had a DUI?
I have worked with lots and lots of drinkers that never had a wreck or was issued a DUI (the joke was you had to be a drunk to be a GM)…
Heck I worked with one guy that we called him a professional drunk, this guy could drink 2 fishbowl sized and VERY strong Margaritas and still drive 30 miles home and was never late to or missed a day of work over it… I asked him if he needed a ride, he said nope his truck new the way home, before he lost his eyesight to a bad surgery in his lower 60’s and could no longer drive, he had never had a DUI (strict work back ground checks) at least in the 30+ years he worked their…
So as many people that have DUI’s, there are probably just as many people or more that never have had one.. I mean, you don’t really think that all these people that drink at food places, games, bars, holidays, fishing, boating etc etc all take a cab home do ya?? Most drive home… It is only if/when they wreck or worse that you hear about them…
