DUI Arrests Rise in Tennessee City, Decrease Statewide

March 15, 2016

The number of people arrested for driving under the influence in Chattanooga has risen despite a decrease in the number of DUI arrests statewide, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

A recently released annual report from the agency showed that 27,917 people were arrested in the state in 2015 for driving under the influence. That’s about 1,800 fewer arrests than 2014, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

The number of statewide traffic crashes involving alcohol also dropped from 6,661 in 2014 to 6,496 in 2015.

However, in Chattanooga, police Lt. David Gibb said the number of DUI arrests rose from 739 in 2014 to 791 in 2015.

“That’s a relatively small number,” Gibb said, adding that he thinks both the state and city numbers are within the normal range.

Of the city’s 36 traffic fatalities, 17 people died in crashes that involved drugs or alcohol. In 2014, seven of the city’s 25 traffic fatalities involved alcohol or drugs.

Kate Richie, state program director for the Tennessee division of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said that at the state level, 337 people died in traffic crashes involving drugs or alcohol in 2015. She said another 5,657 people were injured in such crashes.

“As a state, we’re definitely growing stronger in our crackdown on drunk drivers through our partnerships, through legislation and through public awareness,” Richie said. “We see all that collaboration is helping.”

Topics Tennessee

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