Though car crashes involving teens and alcohol tend to garner outsized public attention, they’re still relatively rare. Statewide numbers from the Department of Motor Vehicles show DUI-related deaths are actually down, especially for teens.
Statewide, teen deaths in alcohol-related crashes declined about 24 percent, to 32 deaths from 42 in 2004.
Alcohol-related accidents for all ages declined 6 percent, to 322 deaths from 343 in 2004.
In our area, Albemarle County saw four alcohol-related fatalities in 2005; Charlottesville saw none. Charlottesville sees fewer fatalities because of geography, City police Chief Timothy J. Longo says. The city’s 10.3 square miles afford fewer opportunities for crashes.
Albemarle county’s numbers have been declining since 1999, the last year for which stats are available.
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