Many police officers are on alert during long summer holidays because those holidays often include an increase in drinking across the state. That increase in drinking may lead to reckless behavior and often to driving under the influence which is both illegal and extremely dangerous.In anticipation of heavy drinking periods, more officers are on duty and are looking for signs of drunk driving. This may include driving significantly slower or faster than other traffic in an area, weaving in an out of lanes, or other aggressive behaviors like running red lights. Arizona law discriminates based upon the blood alcohol content (“BAC”) in a driver’s blood stream at the time a vehicle is operated in terms of what crime, if any, is committed.
A driver with a BAC under 0.08 is presumed not under the influence of alcohol and likely is not guilty of a crime, though if that person shows the affects of any amount of liquor while operating a vehicle, even a low level, can be guilty of driving under the influence. The law presumes that a driver with a BAC of 0.08 or higher is influenced by alcohol and therefore is guilty of driving under the influence while anyone with a BAC of 0.15 or greater is guilty of aggravated or extreme driving under the influence.
With the assistance of this knowledge, Arizona police officers questioned and arrested nearly 560 drivers over the long weekend for driving under the influence, including aggravated and extreme DUIs. These arrests were based on more than 13,000 traffic stops that occurred through early Tuesday morning. Of the 560 drivers cited, 31 of them were under the age of 21 and therefore not legally authorized to drink, meaning that those drivers are likely to face additional charges for possession of alcohol.
Driving under the influence of alcohol is a hazard to everyone on the road and often results in crashes that cause injuries or even death. In fact, nationwide drunk drivers are responsible for about 10,000 deaths every year. This means that nearly one in three people killed on America’s roads are killed due to the negligence of a drunk driver.
The law in Arizona allows victims injured by a drunk driver to make a financial recovery for their losses. Since each accident and each injury is different, it is always important to speak with an attorney regarding what rights and what claims you may have based on your particular accident.
If you have been injured through the negligence of a drunk driver, called the Arizona drunk driving injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free telephone consultation at (855) PHX-LAWYER or (602) 819-5191. We are available 24 hours a day and will speak to you with no obligation on your part so please contact us now and let us help you get a recovery you deserve.
Prior Blog Entries:
11-Year-Old Boy Killed By Hit-And-Run Driver, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published May 28, 2013.
Elderly Driver Crashes into Store, Injures 4, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published May 24, 2013.
Resources:
Nearly 560 DUI arrests in Arizona during Memorial Day holiday, Associated Press/ABC15, published May 29, 2013.