Living out in a close knit farming community that is now 30% Microsoft employees, we have our own email alias for community events.  Recently there was a spectacular high speed wreck on one of the back roads near the residential communities.  There were no fatalities, and the local Fire Department quote was “No one was hurt.  Drunks bounce.”

This reminded me of something and I sent the following response:

As an aside, I can somewhat verify the "drunks bounce" comment. (not through personal experience!)

In college I wrote a paper comparing injury/survival rates in DUI/DWI accidents.  The survival/non-injury rate for the drunk driver was over three times that of the victims.  Anecdotally, EMT people often surmised that weirdly, a lot of drunks wear their seatbelts (perhaps in some feeble attempt to try and be safe or perhaps to avoid a pull over due to lack of) and sober people in these situations (which usually occur at night) don’t.  Secondarily, drunks are oblivious to situational reaction times and tend to be relaxed and pliant with the physical forces against them in an accident, reducing impact and stress injuries. 

By no means should this be considered scientific since my sample set was tiny (5 years worth of data in one large county in Texas) but when I read the "Drunks bounce" comment it took me back to those EMT interviews.  They all said more or less the same thing.  I dearly wish the stats were reversed.

Oh and even if you’re popping out the store just for milk at night, please wear your seatbelt.

So re: that last bit, be careful out there. :>