According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drunk driving claims 29 lives in the United States every day. While fatalities due to DUI have fallen by 33% in the last decade, drunk-driving crashes still claim 10,000 lives per year, with deaths and damages contributing to a cost of $44B per year. Alcohol and a Person’s Driving Ability To operate a vehicle properly and safely, you need sound reasoning, thinking, and muscle coordination. Alcohol impairs all these abilities. A legal drink drive limit is determined by your.