DUII Arrests Over Super Bowl Sunday Weekend More Than Double Last Year's Number

State troopers made 23 arrests during last year's Super Bowl weekend. Two years ago, troopers reported 42 DUII arrests. This year the number was 50.

File photo by Tim King Salem-News.com

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Oregon State Police troopers more than doubled the number of DUII arrests this year over Super Bowl weekend than what was reported last year.

Lt. Gregg Hastings with OSP says preliminary statistics indicate that between 12:01 a.m., Saturday, January 31st, and 6:00 a.m., Monday, February 2nd, OSP troopers arrested 50 DUII drivers.

Of those reported DUII arrests, twenty-one happened between 12 noon, Sunday, through 6:00 a.m., Monday.

During last year's Super Bowl weekend, OSP troopers reported 23 DUII arrests, thirteen of which happened Sunday after 12 noon. Two years ago, troopers reported 42 DUII arrests of which fourteen happened after 12:00 noon.

The OSP Salem Area Command office noted the highest number with 8 DUII arrests, followed by Springfield Area Command office (7), and McMinnville and Central Point Area Command offices (4 each).

Information provided by ODOT's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) indicates two people died in 2 separate fatal traffic crashes this last weekend and neither were alcohol involved.

Over last year's Super Bowl weekend in Oregon, five people died in 4 separate fatal traffic crashes and none involved an alcohol-impaired driver. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Super Bowl Sunday has become one of the nation's most dangerous days on the roadways due to impaired driving.

NHTSA statistics show nationally on Super Bowl Sunday (12:01 a.m., Sunday, to 5:59 a.m., Monday) 48 percent of the fatalities occurred in crashes where a driver of motorcycle ride had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08 percent or higher.