Police: DUIs down, crashes up during Christmas weekend

Connecticut State Police troopers responded to over 1,000 fewer calls for service during this year’s Christmas weekend enforcement, with less than half as many driving under the influence arrests as well, according to data released by the agency Monday.

Troopers were dispatched to 3,199 calls for service from midnight Dec. 24 to 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Last year, troopers were sent to 2,591 calls for service.

This year, there were 107 speeding violations recorded by state troopers — down from the 164 violations last year, the data showed. There were 27 DUI arrests last year, and only 11 this year.

But while those numbers declined, the number of crashes between the years jumped up.

There were 340 crashes troopers investigated during the holiday weekend this year, up from 263 last year. Of this year’s 340 crashes, 34 included injuries and one was a fatality. Last year, 40 of the 263 crashes led to injuries and two were fatal.