Some Important Pennsylvania DUI Statistics
When you face DUI charges, it is likely that district attorneys will pursue your case to a conclusion. This is because that driving under the influence is a particularly big issue across Pennsylvania and the entire nation right now.
To give you a sense of why you face such particularly strong punishments for DUIs even in situations where no one was hurt, here are some important statistics relating to DUI penalties in Pennsylvania. These statistics are from 2012, the most recent year for which our source has data:
- For 2012, the total number of fatalities relating to car accidents with alcohol-impaired drivers was 409. Of those 409 fatalities, 44 were under the age of 31.
- Out of all DUI cases in which there was a fatality, 77 percent involved drivers that had high BACs (more than .15 percent, almost twice the legal limit of .08 percent).
- Of the drivers in fatal accidents that had high BAC levels, 85.7 percent were repeat offenders.
- There were 49,103 total arrests made for driving under the influence in Pennsylvania in 2012. Of that total, 467 were under the age of 18, and 4,946 minors under the age of 18 were cited for violating liquor laws.
These statistics, particularly those relating to repeat offenders, are certainly alarming. However, there are still ways that you can avoid the toughest penalties that people accused of DUI often face. Common defenses include improper stops, malfunctioning equipment, improper testing and more.
For information on the legal options available to you in your DUI case, contact respected Berks County attorney David R. Eshelman.
