Memorial Day weekend DUI arrests fall in Palm Beach County
Memorial Day may mark the unofficial start of summer, but the three-day weekend also comes with a higher rate of traffic accidents and drivers under the influence, according to AAA. Despite national trends, Palm Beach County had fewer DUI arrests this past weekend than last Memorial Day.
Last year there were 35 DUI arrests and three BUI, or boating under the influence, arrests from Friday to Tuesday morning, Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office booking records show. This past weekend, there were 29 DUIs, and preliminary state reports indicate there were no BUIs.
Sheriff ’s spokeswoman Teri Barbera said it’s unclear why the number fell this year, but the heavy rain and flood advisory from Subtropical Storm Alberto could have been a factor.
Those numbers come at the same time as people are hitting the road. According to AAA, more than 36.6 million Americans traveled on roads nationwide for this year’s holiday.
Memorial Day weekend is one of three busiest holidays for drivers, along with the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, said Matt Nasworthy, Florida spokesman for AAA. He said increased traffic can lead to more crashes and fatalities, and holiday weekends see more impaired drivers because people are out celebrating.
“Impaired driving is huge during holidays,” Nasworthy said. “People are going to family gatherings, bars, what have you, and when they don’t have a plan, it puts everybody on the road in jeopardy.”
Most arrests in Palm Beach County were on Sunday with 10, according to the sheriff ’s office. Saturday saw nine people booked into the county jail.
Those numbers differ from last year’s holiday weekend: Sun-
day had 13 DUIs and Saturday had 10.
Arrests took place throughout Palm Beach County. The sheriff ’s office — which has the largest coverage area of any police agency — had nine DUI arrests this year. Boca Raton police followed with seven arrests. Last year, the Florida Highway Patrol followed PBSO with eight.
Boynton Beach police arrested a man early Sunday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. He told police he was lost and asked for directions back to Boca Raton, where he lived, according to records. Police said he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.198 — more than twice the legal threshold for intoxication of 0.08.
“While we’re happy to provide directions, the only place you’re going if you drink and drive is the Palm Beach County Jail,” authorities said on Twitter.