"Drunken falls cause more deaths than drunken driving in Wisconsin"

From The Capital Times:

May 10, 2015 6:00 am  •  By Mike Ivey | The Capital Times

 
"In a state that traditionally leads the nation in heavy drinking, drunken driving has long been a public health concern.

"But alcohol-related falls now account for more deaths in Wisconsin than motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol.

"'I’m not suggesting the focus on drunken driving is misdirected but falls related to alcohol kill a lot more people each year,' said Julia Sherman, coordinator of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project.

"The most recent figures available show 349 deaths in Wisconsin from alcohol-related falls in 2012. That compares to 223 alcohol-related traffic deaths that year.

"Last month, for example, a 32-year-old woman died after falling from a third-floor fire escape on a downtown La Crosse building. Police said surveillance video captured her struggling to walk near the Who’s On Third tavern."

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