Using FBI data, the U.S. Drug Test Center released a study that highlights which states have the most DUI arrests in the country. Washington is in the top ten, according to the report, and the majority of those top-ten states are in the western United States. South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wyoming have been in the top three for the last ten years.

The study found that overall, most people are getting the message that drinking and driving is a bad idea, but DUI arrests consistently still persist in a handful of states. And while DUIs are decreasing nationally, in the Dakotas and Wyoming the rates have increased. One reason may be that the rural nature of those states makes it harder for people to use a taxi or rideshare to get home after a night of drinking.

The ten states with the highest DUI rates are South Dakota, with a DUI rate of 721.9 per 100,000, followed by North Dakota, Wyoming, North Carolina, Mississippi, New Mexico, Maine, Washington, Alaska, and Wisconsin. The ten states with the lowest DUI rates are Missouri, Arkansas, Connecticut, Alabama, Ohio, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Delaware, which has a country-wide low DUI rate of 44.3 per 100,000.

Overall Demographics

The U.S. Drug Test Center report used data from the FBI's 2018 Crime in the United States and from the Centers for Disease Control. Men accounted for three out of four DUI arrests in 2018, and white people made up 80% of DUI arrests. Adults in their 20s make up the largest number of arrests, with those 60 and older only making up 5.9% of arrests.

DUI rates in the western United States eclipse the overall U.S. rate. The DUI arrest rate in the West is 346 per 100,000, followed by the South at 291, the Midwest at 280, and the Northeast at 269. Delaware, Washington, and North Dakota have recorded increases in the population-adjusted rate of DUI arrests for the ten-year period between 2009 and 2018. Washington DUI arrests peaked in 2010 with a total of 647.08 per 100,000 people.

Ramifications for First-Time DUI Convictions

According to the U.S. Drug Test Center report, a first-time DUI offense could cost you up to $25,000, depending on your level of impairment, treatment and education classes, and attorney fees. In Washington, a first-time DUI will vary in penalties and fines depending on the level of impairment and any refusal to submit to a sobriety test.

Seattle DUI Defense Attorney

If you have been arrested and charged with a DUI in Seattle, you don't have to become just another statistic in a report. Call the Law Offices of Steve Karimi to schedule a free consultation of your case. An experienced DUI attorney will be able to determine whether the charges against you could be lessened or even dropped, and they will work hard to save your license. Call 206-621-8777 or fill out an online contact form to get started.