Audio By Carbonatix
Most Arizonans chose not to drive drunk over Memorial Day weekend, but those who did were pretty loaded.
According to statistics from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the average blood-alcohol level of people caught in statewide DUI enforcement this weekend was .153 — nearly twice the legal limit of .08, and enough to qualify people for the “extreme” DUI category.
See also:
–Drunk Drivers Average “Extreme” DUI Levels During Holidays… Again
There were 559 people hit with DUIs this weekend, which is higher than 2012’s Memorial Day weekend total of 547, but lower than the same weekends in 2011 (614) and 2010 (849).
When news happens, Phoenix New Times is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
The average blood-alcohol level was the highest Memorial Day weekend average in the last five years, although only a fraction of those arrested for DUI drivers were actually arrested on the “extreme” DUI charge — 148 people, the same as Memorial Day weekend 2012.
There were also 103 people arrested for drug-related DUIs, which is by far the most in the last five years (there were 83 drug DUI arrests over the same weekend in 2010, the next highest total).
The agency also included the most refreshing statistic, showing that cops on DUI duty this weekend pulled over 181 more drunk drivers than they did sober designated drivers (378 of ’em).
If you need more, all the stats provided can be found below:
Send feedback and tips to the author.
Follow Matthew Hendley on Twitter at @MatthewHendley.
