West Virginia recorded the steepest rise in DUI‑related deaths of any state in 2024, according to a new analysis of federal crash data. The report, released by driving education platform Zutobi, examined the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics to track how impaired driving is changing across the United States.
The findings show DUI fatalities in West Virginia jumped 34.5% year‑over‑year, rising from 58 deaths in 2023 to 78 in 2024. That increase stands in stark contrast to the national trend, where DUI fatalities fell by 4.2% over the same period.
Despite the rise in deaths, West Virginia’s DUI Severity Score — a composite measure of fatalities, arrests, and crash patterns — sits at 43.9 out of 100, placing the state near the middle of national rankings.
The report also highlights a mismatch between fatalities and enforcement. West Virginia recorded 276.27 DUI arrests per 100,000 drivers, a comparatively low rate given the sharp increase in deadly impaired‑driving crashes.
Alcohol was involved in 30.5% of all road deaths statewide, closely aligning with the national average of around 30%.
Zutobi’s full analysis, including state‑by‑state comparisons and methodology, is available here: https://zutobi.com/us/driver-guides/the-us-dui-report
