CDC: Self-reported drunk driving is down

[October 05, 2011]  ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) -- Health officials say drunken driving has fallen 30 percent in five years, and last year was at its lowest mark in nearly two decades.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, released Tuesday, is based on a 2010 national telephone survey of U.S. adults. About 1 in 50 said they'd driven drunk at least once in the previous month. Some said they did it daily.

That led to a CDC estimate of more than 112 million episodes of drunk driving in 2010. But that's down from the 161 million incidents in the peak year of 2006.

Other research suggests people drink heavily as much as in years past. CDC officials think more people may now drink at home, perhaps because of the economy.

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Online:

CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/

[Associated Press; By MIKE STOBBE]

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