More women being charged with drunk driving

On Behalf of | Oct 18, 2017 | Criminal Defense |

Our prior post focused on warnings for those planning on celebrating Halloween by going to a party. Indeed, increased patrols are expected for the entire weekend given that Halloween falls on a Tuesday. While some may believe that they may evade patrols because of what they look like (i.e. not the typical middle-aged man, or college fraternity pledge), the reality of DUI enforcement may come as a surprise.

Essentially, an increasing number of women are being charged with drunk driving offenses. According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation report (FBI), the number of women who received a DUI has increased by more than 30 percent over the past few years.

A number of factors may contribute to these increasing numbers, but the social acceptance of women drinking, either in clubs, bars or at parties, may arguably have the most influence.  Additionally, the difference in how women process alcohol compared to men may be just as important.

For instance, a margarita or glass of wine can cause an average-size female to exceed the .08 blood alcohol threshold quicker than a man. While amounts will vary by person, it’s important to understand it may not take much alcohol to become legally impaired.

Indeed, men still make up a large majority of all drunk driving arrests in Illinois, but with more counties increasing DUI patrols during holiday weekends, it is likely that more women will be charged with drunk driving.

If you are facing criminal charges, an experienced criminal defense attorney can advise you of your rights and options.

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