It’s back to school season which means thousands of students will return to college campuses over the next several weeks.
Students and parents should be aware that police are cracking down on DUIs and underage drinking near college campuses at this time of year.
With a high volume of students living on campus and in college towns, there are more opportunities for large parties and bar hopping which may lead to DUI incidents for drivers and alcohol-related charges for the underaged.
Last fall at Arizona State University, the Tempe Police Department’s “Safe and Sober” task force, which focuses on crimes involving alcohol, reported 371 arrests in three days the weekend before classes started and 486 arrests in three days the weekend after classes started, the Phoenix New Times reports.
A total of 86 drunk driving arrests, 208 minors in possession of alcohol arrests and numerous others were made by Tempe PD over those two weekends in 2013, according to a report form Tempe PD in the Phoenix New Times.
Many students in Arizona universities are from different states and countries. In fact, 37 percent of the freshman class were not from Arizona in 2012, according to ASU.
These non-residents may not be familiar with their DUI rights and Arizona DUI laws.
For example, many new and returning students may not know that Arizona law requires any person found guilty of drinking and driving serve jail time. DUI convictions can also include extensive fines up to $2,500, suspension of driving privileges and the installation of an ignition interlock device – all of this even for first offenders.
“DUIs are very common during the summer months and can continue into the fall when universities fill up again,” Christopher P. Corso of Corso Law Group said.
Every DUI defense case in Arizona is different, however, and the outcome is dependent upon the specific facts and circumstances surrounding the DUI charges, which makes having an experienced Arizona DUI defense attorney even more important.
Corso and his fellow founding partner John M. Rhude know the dangers of DUIs from their own professional experience. Both attorneys previously prosecuted DUIs, DWIs and OUIs for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
The experienced Arizona traffic lawyers at Corso Law Group serve clients throughout Arizona, including the cities of Ahwatukee, Avondale, Buckeye, Chandler, El Mirage, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sun City, Surprise, Tempe, Tolleson and Youngtown.
To schedule a free consultation, visit www.corsolawgroup.com or call (480) 471-4616. Corso Law Group, PLLC is located at 17470 N. Pacesetter Way Scottsdale, AZ 85255.
