Sunday alcohol sales have not increased DUI's - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Sunday alcohol sales have not increased DUI's

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December 4, 2003


Albany-- For years one argument against Albany restaurants selling alcohol on Sunday was that it would increase drunk drivers on the roads. But after nearly one year of Sunday sales, the number of D.U.I. cases and crashes have actually gone down.

Albany started selling alcohol in restaurants on Sunday December 23rd last year. Since then there have been 13 arrests for Driving under the influence between noon and midnight Sunday. That is actually down from 2002, when there were 23.

In 2001 there were nine, and in 2000 11 DUI cases on Sunday. Traffic Safety officials are pleased.

Albany Safe Communities Director Michelle DeMott said "So far. So far we have seen that people are drinking responsibly, and are taking care on the road." Of those 13 Sunday DUI cases so far in 2003, seven involved crashes.

In 2002 there were 15 crashes involving driving under the influence on Sunday.

Longtime Police Officer Major Bobby Hooper said over his career he has seen the number of DUI cases drop dramatically. "Stiffening of the laws and the penalities plus the educational level. Plus the enforcement level by law enforcement. I think it's a cumulative effort to where they have all attributed to the decline."

The total number of Drinking and Driving Cases has also fallen in Albany. So far this year there have been 247 DUI cases. In 2002 there were 307.

Sunday sales by restaurants so far have not proven to be a significant danger on Albany roads. Major Hooper said "Hopefully we can get those numbers down even lower, locally and nationally."

The Albany Chamber of Commerce says restaurants serving drinks on Sunday has caused a increase in the local economy.

posted at 2:40PM by dave.miller@walb.com