DUI arrests rise in Utah with new .05 blood alcohol limit

Emergency personnel respond to a rollover on northbound Interstate 15 near Exit 4. The driver was arrested for suspected DUI, St. George, Utah, Feb 27, 2019 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah has recorded an increase in DUI arrests after prohibiting driving with a blood alcohol level above the 0.05% limit.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported Tuesday that data from the Utah Highway Patrol shows more than 2,700 DUI arrests were made in the first three months of this year.

The state recorded nearly 2,600 in the first quarter last year when the state had a higher blood alcohol limit.

Read more: UHP says New Year’s Eve blitz ‘business as usual’ as new DUI law takes effect

Authorities arrested 135 people suspected of driving with a blood alcohol level between 0.05% and 0.079% — the range that was previously legal to drive.

These arrests included 59 people who were under the drinking age and 27 who were banned from driving with any alcohol in their systems — groups that would have been arrested under previous laws.

Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!