Young men are the most common demographic for getting busted for drunk driving, but research by the FBI suggests that that group is getting better at making smart decisions when it comes to drinking and driving. According to the FBI report, the number of men who earned a DUI between 1998 and 2007 fell 7.5 percent and the number of young men who were busted for DUI fell 23.7 percent. The bad news is that the numbers are trending in the opposite direction for females.
Although men still account for four times as many DUIs as women, the same FBI study revealed a 28.8 percent increase in DUI rates among women from 1998 to 2007. Young women also noticed a 13.8 percent increase in DUI arrests during that same period. The problem is not just isolated to America, either. In the United Kingdom, women made up 9 percent of DUI arrests in 1998, but they made up 17 percent in 2012. Similar results were seen in Canada over the same period. So why are more women driving drunk?
Women and DUIs
There is no concrete answer to the question, but there are a number of factors that may play a role in this increase. For starters, the Canadian Health Department reported that more women are binge drinking than in years past. According to the data, 56 percent of women over the age of 15 reported binge drinking, up from 44 percent in 2004. Considering that binge drinking is the leading cause of all drunk driving accidents, an increase in binge drinking among women has likely played a role in the uptick in DUI arrests.
Another finding from the Canadian study suggests that social norms are changing. It is more commonplace for women to go out and indulge with alcohol, meaning more women are making the poor choice to get behind the wheel after a night of drinking.
In Great Britain, their research suggests that physiological factors are at play. For example, if a 230-pound man and a 130-pound woman have three drinks over the course of an hour, the woman is going to be more affected by the alcohol because of how her body absorbs alcohol. The UK suggests that many women don’t realize the effect even small amounts of alcohol can have on their bodies, and thus they may believe they are under the legal limit when in fact they would be considered too drunk to drive under the law.
Lastly, another suggestion as to why more women are drinking and driving is that they feel safer driving their own car home after a night on the town instead of relying on public transportation or walking home in the dark. The increased number of Ubers and Lyfts in the US have helped to make the ridesharing experience safer, but it can still be an intimidating experience to get into a stranger’s car on your own, especially if you’ve been drinking. Improving public transportation and safety measures could help reduce the desire to drunkenly drive home out of fear.
Reducing DUIs Among Women
So while improving public transportation options may help reduce some DUIs among women, it’s clear that the current anti-drunk driving campaigns could also use a reboot. The scare tactics used in these ads appear to be working for some young males, but the message doesn’t seem to be hitting home with females. Researchers believe a shift from personal-based reasons why not to drink and drive (lose your scholarship, your job, your car) and towards a more familial-themed approach (don’t drink and drive because your kids and family need you) may resonate more among women, as similar campaigns were successful when trying to get more people to buckle up.
It’s easy to say “just don’t drink and drive,” but we understand there’s more to it than that. Whether you’re a male or female, if you’ve been arrested for drinking and driving in the Twin Cities area, reach out to the experienced lawyers at Appelman Law Firm. We’ll work with you to help fight the charges and get your life back on track. Contact us here.
