Fewer Calgary DUIs Mean Safer Calgary Streets

2014's Calgary DUI numbers are in, and the news is definitely encouraging: there was more than a ten-percent decline in impaired driving charges laid in Calgary during 2014 when compared to 2013, continuing the steady decline in drunk driving incidents the city has seen in recent years.

This is good news for everyone, from Calgary Police, who can focus more attention on other issues, to Calgary defence lawyers, who can help clients facing more serious problems, to the average person on Calgary's streets, who is at less risk of being in a DUI-related accident. Most importantly, it's good news for every driver who might have gotten behind the wheel of their car while impaired by alcohol or drugs but thought better of it, avoiding both physical and legal troubles the wrong choice could have saddled them with.

Calgary Police Say Impaired Driving Detection Hasn't Changed

There could be several factors contributing to the lower number of DUI charges laid in Calgary during 2014, but all of the evidence suggests that it's truly a result of fewer people driving while intoxicated or impaired. The Calgary Police have said that they haven't reduced or changed their detection methods at all, continuing to employ DUI Check Stops and encouraging everyone to call in and report suspected drunk drivers.

Because DUI detection efforts aren't any lower, if anything, Calgary Police have actually increased their focus on finding impaired drivers and getting them off the roads, it's safe to assume that the reduced number of drunk driving charges filed in Calgary courts reflects a growing awareness amongst all drivers of the dangers drunk driving presents. While many in Calgary resisted the notion that driving while impaired was a dangerous and irresponsible thing to do, the message seems to have taken stronger root and gained more widespread acceptance.

Some have suggested that Alberta's tougher sanctions against those convicted of DUIs/impaired driving offences have helped to dissuade would-be drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel, but evidence from around the globe suggests that social awareness programs and education are more effective than overly-harsh impaired driving laws.

DUIs Are Still a Common Sight for Calgary Defence Lawyers

Though the number of DUI charges laid in Calgary in 2014 is down significantly, there were still more than 1,200 cases brought before Crown prosecutors last year. That's more than 1,200 drivers in the Calgary area who had to face legal penalties for an alleged impaired driving offence, and more than 1,200 drivers who would have been well advised to consult with an experienced Calgary DUI lawyer.

If you or a family member has been charged with a DUI in Calgary, the fact that you are part of an increasingly smaller group of citizens accused of impaired driving probably doesn't provide any consolation, and it certainly doesn't help you deal with your pending case. A defence lawyer can help with your case, especially a defence lawyer already familiar with defending Calgary residents against drunk driving accusations.

If you'd like a chance to speak with an experienced Calgary DUI lawyer for free, with absolutely no obligation, contact Susan Karpa today.