TUCSON, Ariz. — The Arizona Governors Office of Highway Safety is hosting their annual Holiday DUI Task force Press Conference Thursday morning at the Pima Community College West Campus.
This task force is about educating the public, enforcing the law and giving local law enforcement agencies the opportunity to put their resources together to tackle the issue of driving under the influence.
Nationally, one person is killed every 50 minutes in a DUI related accident. In Arizona, 261 people were killed in a DUI related crash and law enforcement saw a 13% increase in the number of people arrested for driving under the influence during the 2018 holiday season, according to the Arizona Sheriff's Administration.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said the biggest offender for DUI related arrest locally is alcohol.
Deputies said they see an increase in DUI's during the holiday because people have more of a reason to celebrate. Last year, they made 408 DUI related arrest during their Holiday DUI Task force.
"We do see accidents that are a result of impairment or involve impairment from both alcohol or drugs and these accidents can cause a lot of property damage and up to and including loss of life," Public Information Officer for the Pima County Sheriff's Department James Allerton said.
Allerton said he hopes the more awareness they bring to the community, the less people will drive under the influence.
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