The Low-down on Alcohol Abuse Alcohol abuse reduces one's life expectancy by 10 to 15 years. Alcohol is responsible for 40 percent of all fatal traffic accidents. Alcohol is involved in 50 percent of all homicides and 25 percent of all suicides. Two hundred thousand deaths each year are related to alcohol use. Alcohol is the third largest public health problem, after heart disease and cancer. -- Courtesy of the 43rd Medical Group