Arizona DUI Arrest Numbers Down in 2014
The final tally for 2014 is now in and preliminary analysis of the data suggests that the past year saw a decline in overall DUI arrests in Arizona, according to recent reports. Police arrested fewer impaired drivers in 2014, a trend that has continued for the past three years. However, there has been an increase in the number of extreme and super-extreme DUIs at the same time.
DUI Arrests Down for Third Year
From a record high of 32,174 DUI arrests in 2012, numbers have fallen steadily. In 2013, there were 31,892 arrests and an even larger drop lead to 2014’s final total of 28,471. Additionally, the number of sober drivers that were contacted by police officers during traffic stops increased from 6,759 in 2013 to 14,079 in 2014, suggesting that campaigns to utilize designated drivers may be working. These decreases occurred despite an increase in the number of officers and patrols assigned to target DUI drivers. From Thanksgiving 2014 to New Year’s Eve, 9,685 officers were assigned to patrol duties, a huge increase over 2013’s 1,387 officers. However, there is a dark side to these statistics. The average blood alcohol content of tested drivers rose from .151 in 2013 to .152 in 2014. Extreme DUI arrests also rose from 8,212 in 2013 to 8,256 in 2014.
The Problem With DUI
DUI is a serious problem for Arizona drivers who are arrested and charged with this crime. The penalties are harsh even for first-time DUI violations in which the driver has a blood alcohol content of .08 percent; for those with BACs of over .15 percent or with multiple DUI convictions, the penalties can be severe. If you are arrested and charged with DUI, it is critical that you work with an attorney who can help you protect your rights and fight the charges against you. It may be tempting to plead guilty to a first-time DUI and take the punishment in order to save attorney’s fees, but this can lead to financial distress as well as loss of driving privileges for some time. Instead, contact an experienced DUI attorney who can help you use every resource possible to fight these charges. The Oswalt Law Group in Phoenix has many years of experience assisting those who are facing DUI charges. Contact us today for a consultation with a DUI attorney who can help you.