Fresno ranks in top 10 of highest DUI rates in the United States, study says

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Impaired driving is ne'er a bully idea, but a caller survey ranks Fresno among the apical 10 for the highest DUI rates successful the country.

A survey by LendingTree ranks Fresno sixth among the apical 50 largest cities successful the US for DUI rates betwixt July 2023 and July 2024. In fact, 8 of the apical 10 cities connected that database are successful California. Fresno averages .9 DUI's per 1,000 drivers and the survey evaluated millions of security quotes.

“In the past, we person seen an uptick successful the fig of DUI arrests successful our area. We person seen an summation successful the fig of crashes that were owed to having an impaired driver," California Highway Patrol's Hector Carias said.

Right adjacent to Fresno - Clovis besides sees precocious rates of DUIs. In 2023, determination were 322 DUI arrests. So acold successful 2024, determination person been 190 arrests.

“It's everything from the property 21 up to thirties, forties. I mean, it's... I haven't truly seen a circumstantial property group. I cognize this is beauteous crossed the board," Clovis Police Traffic Supervisor Corporal Mark Bradford said.

According to the study, radical ages 18-42 are much apt to get a DUI. Corporal Bradford explains wherefore helium thinks DUI rates are staying high.

“I telephone it the cooky jar effect. When you're increasing up arsenic a teen oregon a kid, you tin snuck a cooky present and get caught. So you physique assurance that you're not going to get caught until you get caught. So I deliberation it's they consciousness comfortable," Corporal Bradford said.

And DUIs nonstop security premiums to the sky, with an mean yearly summation of astir $3,400 successful Fresno. However, that isn’t the lone outgo tied to impaired driving.

“We're talking astir tribunal fees, you're talking astir whether your car got impounded. Right. You're talking astir your security rates skyrocketing. Maybe you request an lawyer of immoderate kind, Right, for ineligible representation. All successful all, the numbers that we are we're talking astir is anyplace betwixt $30-$40,000," Officer Carias said.