Why are drunk driving arrests down while alcohol-related crashes are on the rise?

Bridge Michigan reported this week on some troubling statistics in Michigan that show that police are not making as many arrests for drunk driving and crashes caused by impaired driving are on the rise.

Among key findings:

• Drunk driving arrests in Michigan have dropped 28 percent since 2014, while fatal alcohol- and drug-related crashes have risen 40 percent.
• Experts attribute the rise in crashes to fewer police officers and less traffic enforcement, leading to more dangerous driving behavior.
• In 67 of Michigan’s 83 counties, drunk driving arrests have declined, mirroring a national trend

On this week’s Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Daniel Zimmerman, senior director of government relations and policy for the Washington, D.C.-based Governors Highway Safety Association, talks about the problem.

One initiative that perhaps holds promise for solutions stems from a bipartisan provision in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Section 24220, Public Law 117-58, IIJA) signed into law in 2021. The provision requires a new national safety standard for passive, advanced impaired driving prevention systems in new vehicles.