Missouri ranks 9 out of 50 for most DUI arrests

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – According to a recent study by the Missouri Department of Transportation Missouri ranks 9th out of 50 for most DUI arrests. 

Impaired driving accounts for 21% percent of traffic fatalities in Missouri. 

Cape Girardeau publics information’s officer Bobby Newton says they do see a lot of arrests related to drunk driving.  

“So, we do see a lot of DUI involved incidents where the driver is impaired whether it be traffic stops and the drivers impaired, or we unfortunately respond to a traffic crash where the drivers impaired as well.” 

In 2019 more than 14,000 people were arrested in Missouri for drinking and driving. Thats 4ooo more than the national average. Newton says holidays and weekends are when people are off work is when they tend to see more incidents. 

“During the weekend time ya know Thursday through Saturday are our busy time but we have them through the week as well there’s no set time of someone saying hey I’m going to drink and drive today a lot of times its they go out to dinner and have a couple drinks and those couple drinks turn into several drinks and they still think their ok to drive and so they get in their vehicle and drive.” 

In Missouri if your stopped for drinking and driving it holds big consequences. You can lose your license. Go to jail, pay fines or more depending on how many times your caught.  

Missouri ranks 11th out of 50 for rate of drunk drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes. Newton says this is why they take drinking and driving so seriously in Missouri, to keep people safe on Missouri roadways. 

“We see so many traffic crashes that involve intoxicated drivers that if we can prevent that is our main goal to reduce the number of traffic crashes.” 

Newton also says if you have to question if you’ve had to much to drink or not then you probably have, and you should get an uber or a designated driver.