One in 10 admits to driving drunk or close

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 (UPI) -- One in 10 U.S. drivers say they have driven in the past year when they thought that their alcohol level had been close to or over the legal limit, the AAA says.

The AAA Foundation's study says 5.5 percent of all drivers report having driven drunk more than once within the past 12 months.

The findings are part of the AAA Foundation's third annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, a nationally-representative survey conducted by Abt SRBI Inc. The telephone survey of 2,000 U.S. residents ages 16 and older was conducted from May 11 through June 7.

"Drunk drivers put everyone on the road in danger, especially during holiday season which often combines travel with multiple opportunities to consume alcohol," Peter Kissinger, AAA Foundation president, says in a statement. "Driving is both a privilege and a responsibility. Exploring new technologies, such as interlocking devices, are important to ensuring public safety in conjunction with personal responsibility and law enforcement."

Every alcohol-related fatality is preventable and says that's why AAA is asking motorists to visit TakeThePledge.AAA.com to sign an online pledge to drive only while drug and alcohol-free this holiday season and all year long, Kissinger says.

No margin of error was reported.