Here in Maricopa County, we forego some holiday traditions. It’s rare for us to be able to ride sleighs through snowy woods to grandmother’s house, for example. But we do make the most of the holidays by traveling in our typically warm weather to visit family and friends or receiving them in our homes. With Thanksgiving on the horizon, plans arebeing made and scrumptious meals prepared.
Unfortunately, Thanksgiving weekend (which this year runs from Nov. 22 through Nov. 25) is also a time of the year when police will be out in force looking to make arrests for drunk driving.
Because Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally one of busiest road-travel days of the entire year, Arizona State Police and law enforcement agencies across the Valley of the Sun will ramp up DUI enforcement patrols.
During the recent Halloween holiday, for instance, there were 364 DUI arrests across the state. While that’s a significant drop from last year’s 447, it’s important to note that last year’s Halloween holiday stretched over one more day than this year’s. So the arrest-per-day average was higher this year, KTAR News reported.
The Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety said Halloween 2018 averaged 91 daily DUI arrests, while Halloween 2017 was slightly lower at 89.4.
Arizona law enforcement organizations were more heavily involved in DUI enforcement this year, too, with 2,772 officers and deputies participating. That’s up from last year’s 2,333.
The numbers strongly suggest that DUI enforcement efforts will be heavy over the Thanksgiving holiday period.
Those who find themselves facing a DUI charge should remember to speak to an attorney experienced in drunk driving defense before talking to police or prosecutors.
