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In 2023, an insurance analysis put BMW owners ahead of every other automaker in terms of DUIs. However, 2024 presented a different picture for the Bavarian brand. BMW drivers seemed to sober up last year, losing the top spot to dead GM automaker Pontiac. Of course, the German marque didn’t fall far in the rankings of drunk drivers.  

BMW drivers lost their No. 1 drunk driving spot to Pontiac for 2024, but retained the No. 2 rank

In 2023, BMW had a DUI rate of 3.13 per every 1,000 drivers. That put the automaker comfortably ahead of RAM, the No. 2 brand. In fact, BMW drivers had so many drunk driving arrests in comparison that they were nearly twice as likely to get a DUI as a RAM driver. However, the data from last year looks quite different.

In a Lending Tree insurance analysis, BMW fell from the No. 1 spot to the second rank, ceding its inebriation crown to defunct GM brand Pontiac. Specifically, Pontiac drivers recorded 3.11 DUIs per every 1,000 drivers in 2024, just 0.02 fewer than BMW had in the previous year. BMW, on the other hand, dropped to 2.57 per every 1,000 drivers.

Similarly, RAM drivers made the top five, albeit in the No. 4 spot instead of No. 2. Interestingly enough, RAM drivers had just over two drunk driving charges per every 1,000 drivers. That’s a 21.5% increase year-over-year for the pickup truck brand’s drivers.

What’s more, Tesla snuck in between RAM and BMW, with a DUI rate of 2.23 for 2024. However, the electric vehicle marque’s increase is nothing short of astronomical. In the 2023 analysis, Tesla was No. 20 with a rate of 1.02 DUIs per 1,000 drivers. Jeep rounded out the top five brands with a DUI rate of 1.93.  

On the other hand, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Volvo took the lowest spot in the analysis. The Swedish brand’s DUI rate was 1.13 per 1,000 drivers in 2024, less than half that of BMW. Just above Volvo, Hyundai and Kia had drunk driving arrest rates of 1.20 and 1.22, respectively. Moreover, fellow GM brand Cadillac recorded a DUI rate of 1.27, less than half that of Pontiac. 

BrandDUI rate per 1,000 drivers (2024)Rank
Pontiac3.111
BMW2.572
Tesla2.233
RAM2.094
Jeep1.935
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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman is a MotorBiscuit Staff Writer, an admitted petrolhead, and an avid motorcyclist. Erik covers Tesla daily, including the Model Y and Cybertruck. Erik also covers Toyota, often discussing the Tundra, Tacoma, RAV4, 4Runner, and Camry. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and Humvees. Erik is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin.