Nine Surprising Facts About DUI in New York

Getting arrested for DWI/DUI in New York or New Jersey is no joke. Potential consequences include jail time, hefty fines, and loss of driving privileges. Read on for nine things to know about drunk driving or scroll down for the full infographic.

1. Younger drivers are arrested the most. According to statistics from state Justice Departments and the Federal Highway Administration, college students and recent grads -- those between 18 and 24 years old -- represent the largest portion of DUI arrests each year, at 25.3%.

2. New drivers are more cautious. Thankfully, drivers with the least experience (between 16 and 17 years old) represent the least DUI arrests at 1.8%.

3. Fatal drunk driving accidents are on the decline. In 2014, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recorded 30,057 fatal accidents involving alcohol, down from 32,719 in 2013 and nearly 40,000 in 2005.

4. Drunk driving arrests in New York are also falling. A study conducted last year found New York State DUI arrests have declined for the past five years. This is particularly true among younger drivers. From 2005 to 2014, DUI arrests in New York dropped 68.9% for 16 and 17 year olds, 49.3% for 18 to 20 year olds, and 25.5% for 21 to 25 year olds, according to numbers compiled by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.

5. New York and New Jersey both rank high for DUI arrests. In 2015, more than 25,000 New Yorkers were arrested during DUI stops, along with 24,000 from New Jersey, which puts them both in the top 20 states for total number of DUI arrests. However, as a percentage of the population, both states were near the bottom (Numbers 47 and 38 respectively).

6. California has the most DUI arrests. More than 215,000 drivers were arrested in the state in 2015. That’s more than four times as many as NY and NJ combined! Even as a percentage of population, this puts California in the top 10.

7. Only 1.3% of drunk drivers are arrested. Approximately 4,000 people are arrested for DUI every day. However, the FBI estimates that 300,000 people drive drunk every day.

8. Repeated offenses are commonplace. The CDC estimates that the average drunk driver has driven drunk 80 times before his or her first arrest and 58% continue to drive on a suspended license. Among those convicted for drunk driving, 29% are repeat offenders.

9. The majority of Americans are impacted by drunk driving. It’s estimated that around 63% of Americans will be involved in a DUI-related accident at some point in their lives.

It is essential that you retain an attorney if you or someone you love has been arrested for DUI. Adam H. Rosenblum of the Rosenblum Law is an experienced criminal defense and traffic ticket attorney with offices in New York and New Jersey. Email him or call 888-203-2619 for a free consultation about your case.