Spring Break DUI Statistics
Schoolwork and classes can wear out even the most dedicated of students, and Spring Break can be just the time to let loose and enjoy yourself. However, it is easy for shenanigans to get out of hand. When alcohol and free time combine with large numbers of people, there is a lot of opportunity for legal entanglements. With these entanglements come the need for DUI law.
Not the Worst Month
According to the DUI unit of the Nashville Police Department, the leading month of the year for DUIs is actually not March, despite March being the month when most schools do their Spring Breaks. In reality, October leads Tennessee in the sheer volume of DUIs, with May and March coming in a photo finish for second place. While Spring Break undoubtedly contributes to the number of DUIs, its contribution is not enough to make March the worst month.
Regardless of which month is the worst, DUIs do spike during Spring Break. When a small number of people in a given place are intoxicated, often the more sober individuals nearby can give the drunken folks a wider berth. However, when a large percentage of people are intoxicated, as is the custom during Spring Break, it becomes hard for people to avoid one another and accidents become a given.
DUIs – not just from alcohol
Alcohol is not the only kind of impairment on the road. In 2015, distracted driving resulted in 51 people killed – texting and driving ends lives even among completely sober individuals. Alcohol-related deaths tallied up to 136, with the “champion” being drugs. 174 people died due to drug-related car accidents in 2015, and many of these were prescription meds that young people had access to because of family members having prescriptions. It goes without saying that these drugs are used more often during Spring Break to complete the overall euphoria that young people attempt to experience.
Accidents and Serious Potential Harm
One piece of good news has been that DUIs are generally on the decline. Law enforcement has been cracking down on its enforcement practices, and DUIs as a whole have declined between 2016 and 2017. 2018 numbers are still being recorded and are thus unavailable. The Tennessee Highway Safety Office has gone all-in with attempting to curb drunken and otherwise impaired driving.
Nonetheless, drunken driving is a serious problem even with the overall reduction. In 2012, 1.1 percent of the population reported to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System that they have driven after drinking too much. As well, within the 21 to 34 age range, Tennessee had 8 deaths per 100,000 population during 2012. The total number of deaths due to intoxicated driving between 2003 and 2012 were 3,423 people.
Using an Attorney Vs Going it Alone
There are a large number of laws and procedures if you are arrested for a DUI, and knowing the statistics is not enough to help you minimize your punishment. Contact Herbert & Lux today, and you may be able to reduce your likelihood of becoming one of the statistics.
