Super Bowl Sunday proved to be a busy day for Washington State Patrol (WSP) officials, local news outlets report.
According to official reports, at least 37 people were arrested this past Sunday for suspected DUI in the state, a considerable increase considering that in 2022, officials arrested 18 people for suspected DUI on Super Bowl Sunday across Washington.
The numbers have been on the rise since 2020, when officials arrested 12 people on Super Bowl Sunday for intoxicated driving. The following year, officials arrested 16 on the same day for drinking and driving.
Crashes Reported In Snohomish Linked To Motorists Driving Under The Influence
On Sunday, WSP’s extra patrols arrested seven drivers in Snohomish County. At least two of the drivers arrested had also caused accidents. No personal injuries were reported.
When commenting on the increase in the number of DUI arrests in the state, WSP public information officer for Pierce and Thurston counties Robert Reyer said that there’s no reason DUI crashes should be increasing.
“Driving impaired and then being involved in a collision and potentially dying or hurting somebody else is very preventable,” he told news outlets.
Unfortunately, intoxicated driving is still a risk in the Evergreen state, with WSP data showing that in 2022 alone, 11,097 people were arrested for driving under the influence throughout the year.
With officials now concerned that the numbers are growing too rapidly, state legislators are working on a way to help prevent intoxicated driving.
WA Lawmakers Look Into Changes To The Law To Help Prevent DUI Accidents
Washington State legislators are considering a bill that would boost the state’s fight against drunk driving.
Senate Bill 5002 would make drunk driving laws stricter in the state by lowering the threshold for drunk driving from .08% to .05% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). At the moment, the bill is waiting for a second reading by the State Senate’s Rules Committee.
Some of the amendments added to the bill recently would ensure state residents have an entire year to adapt to the legal changes by “[delaying] the implementation of the bill by six months.” If the bill passes and is signed into law, Washington would join Utah as the only two states in the country that lowered the legal limit to .05%.
In Utah, officials reported a 20% decrease in deadly accidents following the implementation of the new rules.
If you are injured in an accident in Seattle caused by an intoxicated driver and would like to learn more about how to protect your rights, do not hesitate to contact us at 1-800-418-8282 for a free personal injury case consultation. To learn more about our practice, visit this link.
For more on Super Bowl Sunday’s DUI arrest numbers, click here.
