Arizona DUIs remain static over Fourth of July as traffic stops rise

PHOENIX — Despite ticket citations going up over the Fourth of July holiday weekend this year, DUI arrests in Arizona didn’t see much of a change.

According to the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the state saw the number of arrests remain static for driving under the influence between 2023 (493) and 2022 (494). Of those arrests this year, 94 were for extreme DUI — where drivers had a blood alcohol content of at least 0.15% — up 19 total over last year.

There were 10,603 contacts made between July 1 and July 4 this year, up 1,651 from last year during the same period.

The biggest spike came in civil speed citations. Civil speed citations, which includes speeding or driving below the minimum speed, making an illegal turn, running a red light, driving without a seatbelt, not stopping at a stop sign, or parking in an illegal spot. There were 761 more citations year-over-year.

Among the citations that were on the rise this year include those for distracted drivers, up by 48 to 139; those for under 21 liquor laws, up by nine to 19; and seat-belt violations, up by 28 to 263.

On the bright side, the number of know your limit contacts was down by 30 to 168, stops for child restraints by 11 to 43, and criminal speed citations by 17 to 187.

The amount of police manpower was also up year-over-year, with 2,408 officers and deputies used in 2023 versus 1,901 in 2022.

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