Fatal motorcycle accidents involving alcohol have risen in D.C. and more than half the states in the nation, including Maryland.

Statewide in Maryland, 25 alcohol-related motorcycle fatalities occurred in 2007, up from 23 in 2006, for an increase of 8.7 percent, slightly higher than the national increase of 7.5 percent, according to recently released statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Maryland was one of 27 states, in addition to D.C. and Puerto Rico, to see more alcohol-related fatalities in 2007. Although the numbers for alcohol-related motorcycle fatalities have increased, all fatal vehicle crashes in which a driver had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher fell 3.7 percent from 13,491 accidents in 2006 to 12,998 accidents in 2007, according to the latest figures by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.