By IRENE HSIAO
ihsiao@tucsoncitizen.com
You drink, you drive, you get arrested. That’s if you’re lucky. If not, you could kill someone or cripple them for life – all without intending harm.
The Southern Arizona DUI Task Force reminds motorists they will face extra scrutiny the next six weekends during stepped-up holiday enforcement. Wise imbibers will appoint a designated driver.
Drunken-driving deaths are down. Still, 470 people were killed in Arizona drunken-driving crashes last year, the task force said. In 2002, it was 489. Nationally last year, 17,013 people died in alcohol-related crashes.
Last Thanksgiving weekend, task force officers made 46 misdemeanor DUI arrests and eight extreme DUI arrests. Seven people under 21 were arrested on suspicion of DUI, and 30 minors were cited on suspicion of drinking. Officers use the effort to target seat belt violations and to make sure children are properly restrained.