Drunken driving arrests up in Anchorage, across Alaska
Published Saturday, November 29, 2008
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Stumble It!ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Anchorage police say drunken driving arrests are up significantly this year.
The total number of driving-under-the-influence arrests so far is about 500 more than last year's number -- and approaching nearly double the total for 2006.
Police say that as of Wednesday, officers have made 2,438 DUI arrests. That's an increase of almost 25 percent over last year's total.
Lt. Dave Parker says the numbers reflect some repeat offenders, but he calls the total "a horrendous number."
Police say there are several reasons for the jump.
Factors include having more officers out on the streets, using highway grant funding to keep officers out longer and placing an increased focus on catching impaired drivers.
State authorities say the increase in DUI arrests also is happening statewide.
Community Discussion
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The more you tell people not to do something, the more they do it. It's that independent attitude of all Americans. They think, "It's supposed to be a free country. How dare the government tell me I can't drink and drive. I'll show them."
Thats a joke right?
Lets all have a safe hoilday party season and take just as much time to plan how your friends and employees are going to get home from the party as you do what your going to buy at the liquor store or how big a bar tab the party will have.
To those who will be drinking out and about...Please drink responsibly, the life you save could be mine.
Curious, I've also seen news reports from Washington, Pennsylvania and Illinois saying their DUI arrest numbers have gone up quite a bit too. Washington is on pace to have double the DUI arrests this year than they had in 2006.
I wonder if this is from an increase in the number of people driving drunk or an increase in enforcement.
I think this has to be due to the increased enforcement. I am DD when my friends go drinking on a Friday or Saturday night, I would routinely see lots of bar patrons, obviously drunk, get in their cars and drive off.
It is a scary thing to see, I try to herd my friends out a little before the bars close in order to try and beat the stream of drunk drivers about to hit the road.
Keep up this kind of enforcement. Forget about the people not wearing a seatbelt, keep on busting the drunk drivers.
Until we as a society begin to take DWI seriously and punish accordingly, it will always be a major problem.
There is very little punishment and no social stigma that comes with a DWI. In fact it seems as though it is akin to losing your car keys. "Bummer, you got a DWI"
When was your last DWI hckywatcher? DWI convictions ARE serious business these days and can cause DRAMATIC changes in ones life. I will agree that there is not the social stigma of rape, or child molestation, or other more heinous crimes, but having to explain to friends and family why you can't drive for a year, why you are broke from paying fines, attorney fees, and court costs, why you lost your job, why you are attending mandatory AA meetings, why they need to pick you up from jail,why you can't frequent places that sell alcohol, etc, etc. does carry a bit of social stigma. Of course having to explain what you were thinking when you caused someone's death or the destruction of their property is worse, but just going through the process following a DWI is a pretty big deal these days. BIG difference from twenty years ago.
DRINK UP ALASKA!
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People who chose to drink and drive always get whats coming to them in one way or another, arrogant scum...
... it's too bad their inherent stupidity costs lives, unnecessarily.
If I'm correct in my recollection, and I'm admittedly going from distant memory, I believe that drinking (as well as other specific behaviors) increases during times of war, as well as during economic uncertainty/recession/depression.
We have both factors at play right now.
Add to that the increased scrutiny now that driving intoxicated has caught the State's attention as an issue needing to be addressed.
Put on what ever kind of buzz you feel inclined to put on. Just don't involve my family members or myself in your carnage if you take it to the limit, and the whole thing turns into a tail-spin..
There is no excuse. I agree with the one poster, a DWI carries a significant social stigma these days. Yeah, 20 years ago it was something that could be laughed off, but not anymore. Yes, we drink but like I said, there is no excuse for not giving someone sober the keys or asking the bar to call a cab. To me, that's responsible drinking. If you can afford the booze, you can darn well afford the cab. If it's 40 below, well, shouldn't have driven the car to the bar in the first place. Too bad it can't be plugged in. Price you pay as far as I'm concerned. I'd much rather have to thaw out my car the next day than to sit in CC wondering how I was stupid enough to have put myself in this position and to have the regret of knowing that I willingly hurt or killed someone in my drunken stupidity by driving drunk.
It's good that they are doing a better job in catching more DUI's?
Alaska driving is challenging enough when we are sober.
Think of the thousands of dollars you have to pay now if you get caught. worst yet kill someone. Back in the day one got off with nothing more then a slap on the wrist. OK, your going to do it anyway! think twice ;)
Good point, Dirk, and similar to my first thought. Has anyone crunched the numbers to find out if alcohol sales are up significantly as well? Would be interesting to know.
And to everyone out there: Drive Sober! I can think of few things I'd less want to do than kill someone because of my own selfish stupidity. Think of the little boy killed on his trike this summer here in town. The girl who did that was having fun at the park, tossing back a couple. Then she got behind the wheel, and now she'll have to live with her actions for the rest of her life (and if memory serves me, she was only twenty). And a family has lost a child, and a child has lost his future. It's not worth it. It's not worth even risking it. It never is.
You have to understand that as long as this society condones use of the legal DRUG that is alcohol you WILL see people driving drunk. It is NEVER EVER going to stop or get better! The problem is that when people make a choice to drive drunk they are impaired! If you want to have your DRUG you are going to have to put up with drunk drivers. All you DRUG users are putting people at risk by condoning the use of alcohol(A DRUG). All of you that drive are knowingly killing almost 40,000 men women and CHILDREN every year by even driving a car! By being a drinker and being a driver not even at the same time you are the problem. Stop doing drugs (alcohol) and take mass transit otherwise you are a drug user and a killer. Imagine reading a post by crack smokers complaining about all the other crack users can't use their crack without causing problems. That's what reading what you people wright looks to me. Happy Holidays!
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