Center Stage
34
Impaired Driving
T
he department continued a
dual-approach to addressing
impaired drivers. The
first component deals with
educational outreach efforts to
inform drivers of the dangers of
getting behind the wheel while
impaired. The second component
deals with aggressively pursuing
and referring for prosecution of
offenders who make
bad choices.
In 2015, the
department made
1,201 arrests for
Driving While
Intoxicated. Officers
also arrested 1,348
individuals for Public Intoxication.
Under state law, a person is
legally intoxicated and may be
arrested for DWI with a .08 BAC.
A person is also considered
intoxicated if impaired due to
alcohol or drugs regardless
of the BAC. Younger drivers
under 21-years of age cannot
have any detectable amount
of alcohol in their system.
While enforcement is
the bulk of our strategy to
combat impaired driving, the
department invests heavily
in educating young people
and reminding adults of
the consequences. In 2015,
DWI Enforcement Officer
Stacie Brown conducted
100 presentations to area
high schools which reached