DUI arrests numbers are increasing each year. At least 37 people were arrested on Super Bowl Sunday for suspected DUI in Washington, according to the Washington State Patrol (WSP). Washington is considering passing a law that would make it the second state in the country to lower the legal blood alcohol content limit from .08 to .05%. Utah is the other state. That state reported a 20% decrease in fatal accidents the year it went into effect.
The WSP said extra patrols would be out during Super Bowl Sunday looking for impaired drivers. The WSP said 37 people had been arrested for suspected DUI by 9 p.m. Sunday. In Snohomish County, state troopers arrested seven drivers, two of which caused crashes. No injuries were reported.
Last year, 18 people were arrested for DUI. in 2021, 16 people were arrested for DUI on Super Bowl Sunday in King County. And, in 2020, 12 people were arrested for driving under the influence. As DUI arrest numbers are increasing, lawmakers are working to address the issue at the state level with Senate Bill 5002. If it becomes a law Washington’s patrol officers could soon begin getting tougher on drunk drivers. This bill would lower the threshold for drunk driving in Washington from 0.08% to 0.05% blood alcohol concentration. The bill was recently sent to the Rules Committee for a second reading.
Those receiving the citations and arrests will have to go through an expensive court process. Some may even lose their privilege to drive. But, they did not lose their lives this time. The court expenses also are mild in comparison to having a family sue you for injuring or killing their lived ones due to drinking and driving. Driving under the influence (DUI) refers to operating a vehicle while affected by alcohol, drugs, or both. A first time DUI in WA State is normally charged as a gross misdemeanor, which carries a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $5000 fine.
Alcohol is not the only drug officers were looking for during Super Bowl Sunday. A DUI applies to both legal and illegal drugs, including prescription medication and over-the-counter drugs. In all cases where a conviction is entered, there are mandatory minimum sentences, which a judge is required to impose and cannot reduce. Once arrested, courts may suspend your driver license for 90 days to 4 years, depending on prior offenses and the severity of the incident. The suspension begins 45 days after a notice from the court showing the driver was convicted.
