These cars have the highest share of drivers with DUIs
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The car models with the most drivers with a DUI range from the tank-like Ford Bronco to the snug Volkswagen New Beetle. Roomy family vans and SUVs account for half the list. Drivers with these models are up to 11 times more likely to have a DUI on their driving record than average.
1. Buick Envista
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 72.1
MSRP (base model): $23,995
NHTSA overall safety rating: N/A
Buick Envista drivers are the most likely to have a DUI on their driving record, with more than 72 of the model’s owners per 1,000 drivers reporting the violation on Insurify insurance applications. The compact SUV’s crash-imminent braking system could prevent some accidents by automatically braking if the driver doesn’t — but it’s no substitute for sober driving.
The NHTSA hasn’t rated the 2024 Buick Envista for overall safety yet, but the car had one recall for a malfunctioning instrument panel display that should show vehicle speed and warning lights.
2. Buick Encore GX
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 58.7
MSRP (base model): $27,195
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5/5 stars
The Buick Encore GX seats up to five, has available all-wheel drive, and hosts high-tech safety features like lane-departure warning and crash-imminent braking, making it a comfortable and practical family car. The subcompact SUV also has the second-highest share of owners with a citation for driving under the influence (58.7 per 1,000 drivers).
Like the Envista, General Motors recalled the Buick Encore GX because of a malfunctioning instrument panel display. The manufacturer released a free software update to fix the issue and reduce accident risk.
3. Chevrolet Bolt EV
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 40.6
MSRP (base model): $27,495
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5/5 stars
Electric vehicle (EV) drivers are typically concerned with protecting the environment, but that concern apparently doesn’t include driving safely for the 40.6 per 1,000 Chevrolet Bolt EV drivers with a DUI.
Driving a Chevrolet Bolt while intoxicated is especially dangerous since EVs tend to be quieter than gas-powered cars, posing an additional risk to pedestrians and cyclists. EVs are also heavier than traditional vehicles, which insulates the EV driver from harm but crushes lighter vehicles in crashes, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
4. Chevrolet Astro
DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 29.9
MSRP (base model): $5,470
NHTSA overall safety rating: 3/5 stars
The Chevrolet Astro minivan was discontinued in 2005, but 29.9 out of 1,000 of its drivers are still wreaking havoc on the road. Unlike more recent model years, the Astro isn’t equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) like lane-departure warning, blind-spot detection, and automatic braking.
The boxy van earned a 3 out of 5 crash safety rating from the NHTSA, but its drivers aren’t the only people who should be worried about an accident. The Astro weighs more than 4,300 pounds and could severely damage smaller vehicles in a DUI-related crash.
5. Chevrolet Blazer
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 28.1
MSRP (base model): $44,195
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5/5 stars
Chevrolet Blazer owners have the fifth-highest share of DUIs at 28.1 per 1,000 drivers. The sporty midsize SUV is also popular with police departments, so Blazer drivers are both issuing and receiving a lot of DUIs.
Recent model years have ADAS safety features like forward-collision warning and automatic braking — but the 2024 Blazer has also had three recalls. The 2024 Blazer’s defective door strikers caused doors to open during crashes, increasing injury risk and prompting a recall. The NHTSA rated the 2022 model year highly for crash safety but hasn’t rated the 2023 or 2024 Blazer.
6. Jaguar XF
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 27.5
MSRP (base model): $51,075
NHTSA overall safety rating: N/A
The Jaguar XF’s $51,075 price tag isn’t dissuading drivers from getting behind its wheel after a night of drinking. With 27.5 out of 1,000 reporting a DUI, this premium sedan’s drivers are 4.3 times more likely than average to drink and drive.
Safety features, including lane-departure warning and dynamic brake support, are standard in the Jaguar XF, but neither feature meets the NHTSA’s performance criteria. Forward-collision warning meets it, but alcohol levels well below the legal limit still slow reaction speed, so the warning is much less likely to help Jaguar XF drivers if they’re under the influence.[4]
7. Buick Enclave
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 22.8
MSRP (base model): $46,395
NHTSA overall safety rating: 4/5 stars
The full-size three-row Buick Enclave seats up to seven passengers, making it an attractive vehicle for big families — but it also has the seventh-highest share of drivers with a DUI. Buick makes three of the 10 cars with the highest shares of intoxicated drivers.
Weighing in at more than 4,600 pounds, the Buick Enclave’s size makes it more dangerous to smaller vehicles in crashes. The NHTSA gives the 2024 model year a 4 out of 5 safety rating, dinging the Enclave for its rollover risk.
8. Volkswagen New Beetle
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 17.4
MSRP (base model): $4,965
NHTSA overall safety rating: N/A
Volkswagen discontinued the New Beetle after the 2010 model year, but its drivers are still getting DUIs in 2024. Nearly three times more New Beetle owners have a DUI than the national average of 6.4 DUIs per 1,000 drivers.
The New Beetle lacks the modern safety features found in new cars, so intoxicated drivers don’t get a warning if they veer into another lane or are about to crash. The car originally sold for $19,440 but has a purchase price of $4,965 today, according to KBB. Drivers with lower-value cars often choose liability-only coverage, which offers less financial protection in an accident.
9. Chrysler Pacifica
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 17.3
MSRP (base model): $44,145
NHTSA overall safety rating: 5/5 stars
Chrysler advertises the eight-passenger Pacifica as a family minivan, but its drivers are 2.7 times as likely as average to have a DUI. The Chrysler Pacifica’s numerous safety features, including forward-collision warning, might mitigate some of the damage — but the minivan has had multiple safety recalls.
One of the three recalls for the 2024 Pacifica concerns the driver’s airbags, which don’t properly deploy in a crash. The minivan also has an 11.6% chance of a rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario, according to the NHTSA.
10. Ford Bronco
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DUIs per 1,000 drivers: 16.8
MSRP (base model): $41,525
NHTSA overall safety rating: N/A
Nearly 17 out of 1,000 Ford Bronco drivers have a DUI on their driving record. The rugged, truck-based SUV could cause significant damage to small sedans in an accident because it weighs more than 4,300 pounds. The Bronco’s automatic braking and lane-departure warning features help drivers avoid crashes, provided they’re sober and paying attention.
The NHTSA hasn’t rated the 2024 Ford Bronco on overall safety, but the SUV earned 3 out of 5 stars for rollover resistance because it has a 25.6% risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario — a situation that’s much more likely for drivers under the influence.
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