Portsmouth's DUI Arrests Rose By Nearly 25% Last Year

PORTSMOUTH, RI — Portsmouth police saw a sharp uptick in arrests involving suspected drunk drivers over the last year, according to new data released by the department. In 2021, 26 more DUI arrests were made than the year prior, an increase of 23 percent.

The DUI numbers were part of newly released data showing arrests, traffic violations, calls for service and other categories of service provided by the Portsmouth Police Department in the last few years. In total, 140 DUI arrests were made in 2021, up from 114 in 2020.

Portsmouth's DUI numbers contradict national trends. According to SafeHome.org's 2022 DUI statistics and trends report, while drunken driving numbers remain high, they have been on a steady decline since 1990.

"Extensive efforts by activists, legislators, and advertisers, accompanied by the acceptance of designated drivers and ridesharing apps, have significantly decreased drunk driving deaths in recent years," the report read in part. "Yet driving under the influence remains the second most common human factor in fatal car crashes."

The data also showed an increase in arrests, overall. In 2020, Portsmouth police made 805 arrests. That number jumped to 1,025 in 2021, an increase of 27 percent. The department did not provide any insight or analysis into what could be behind the increase.