Driving under the influence (DUI) offenses are relatively common. Local authorities around Pennsylvania arrest people frequently for intoxication at the wheel. How much focus local police departments put on screening for and arresting impaired drivers often depends on local DUI crash rates.
In communities where there haven’t been very many significant DUI crashes in recent years, police departments may focus their efforts on more serious matters. However, if impaired driving crashes are a constant source of concern for locals, police departments may dedicate a large portion of their operational budgets toward identifying and successfully arresting impaired motorists.
An analysis comparing DUI arrests and crashes on one of the highest-risk weekends of the year indicates a positive change regarding drunk driving in Pennsylvania recently.
Memorial Day 2024 saw a noticeable drop in DUIs
Major holidays tend to see quite a few drunk driving crashes every year. The summer holidays, in particular, are known for being high-risk weekends. The tendency to celebrate long weekends with alcohol and road trips means a significant increase in drunk driving incidents. Therefore, many police departments have quite a few officers on the roads on holiday weekends in the summer.
Memorial Day weekend data from 2023 and 2024 indicates there may be fewer drunk motorists on Pennsylvania roads when compared with 2023. There were 46 drunk driving crashes over the holiday weekend, which is down from 59 in 2023. Additionally, there were 467 DUI arrests in 2024 over the holiday weekend, which is a noticeable decrease from the 547 arrests in 2023.
2023 had already seen an overall reduction in drunk driving holiday arrests and crashes when compared with 2022. In other words, there are signs of improved safety among motorists in Pennsylvania after a sudden increase in unsafe driving beginning in 2020.
Overall, a trend toward a lower rate of drunk driving crashes might lead to fewer enforcement efforts. It is always best to have a designated driver.
Fighting back against DUI charges can be a challenging prospect. People frequently need help evaluating the Commonwealth’s case and planning a viable defense strategy. Seeking personalized legal guidance in the wake of an arrest, therefore, is generally wise.
