It would appear that more and more motorists in Utah are getting behind the wheel after engaging in drug use, leading to a rise in drug-related auto fatalities.
In 2015, the number of DUIs double from the previous years, jumping from 320 crashes to 701 crashes.
As a result of these accidents, 67 people were killed. This raises the DUI fatality rate by 76%. Moreover, this is the highest that this number has been in the past nine years.
What drugs are the people using before driving? The most common drugs were THC, the active ingredient in marijuana; amphetamines and methamphetamine; and opiate drugs, usually hydrocodone.
Conversely, the number of alcohol-involved DUI crash fatalities fell. 37 people were killed in DUI crashes last year opposed to 45 in 2014.
Nearly three-quarters of those arrested for DUI in the past year were male. The age group most arrested were those 25-36, accounting for 37% of arrests. The youngest arrested were 14. People who were under the legal drinking age accounted for more than 12% of DUI arrests.
The overwhelming majority of the DUI arrests took place along the Wasatch Front in Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber counties at seventy-one percent. 32% of the drivers were from Salt Lake County.
If you have been arrested for DUI, you will require legal representation. Our attorneys specialize in the defense of DUI charges. Contact us today.
