DUIs are on the Decline in Atlanta
According to a statement released by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD, and Uber, drunk driving arrested in Atlanta have declined by 32 percent since 2010.
Records kept by the Atlanta Police Department show that there were 2,243 DUI arrests in the city in 2010, and only 1,535 arrests in 2015. Uber is claiming partial credit for the decline, citing that the numbers have dropped since the company’s presence increased in the city.
The Department of Driver Services’ numbers show that ridesharing services may be only part of the reason for the drop in DUIs. While convictions have fallen in the city, so have the number of drivers who consent to a sobriety test. In fact, the number of refusals more than doubled from 2008 to 2013. It is thought that cutbacks in law enforcement agencies may have a factor as well. With fewer officers on the streets, not as many drunk drivers are being apprehended.
A program that may be factoring into the decline is the Nighthawks Task Force. Started in October 2004, the patrols in Cobb, Clayton, Fulton, Gwinnett and DeKalb Counties ramp up their efforts during peak DUI hours. Funded by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the program has been expanded to include more counties and staff more personnel over the years.
If you have been arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence in Atlanta, do not fight your charges on your own. Call Hawkins Spizman Fortas for a free case evaluation and let us advise you of the options available to you.