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SALT LAKE CITY — With a holiday weekend on its way, the Department of Public Safety and a former DUI offender are speaking out on why planning ahead before getting behind the wheel is crucial.
Utah Highway Patrol said over the last five years the total number of DUI arrests has remained steady.
This year, preliminary data shows the state is on track to exceed 10,620 DUI arrests.
"I was driving drunk three or four times a week. I've probably driven impaired 300 times and gotten a couple of DUIs," said Jaison Jensen.
Jensen describes those actions as "old Jaison."
He said when he was around 20 years old, he remembers driving impaired. It triggered a snowball effect, including two DUIs in 2015 and 2016 after a few nights out at a bar.
After trips to jail, treatment, and recovery, he is a youth counselor for recovery and celebrating six years of alcohol sobriety the first weekend of July.
"I don't want to escape from my life. I look forward every day … There's nothing wrong with partying or having a good time, but plan ahead," he said. "Make sure to plan ahead."
Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Zach Randall said in July, there will be 280 DUI shifts worked by 37 law enforcement agencies all over the state. Officers will be ready with watchful eyes for drunk and impaired driving. Randall said they'll especially be looking for "people unable to stay in their lanes, driving without their lights on at night, making wide turns, speeding exceptionally fast — or even exceptionally slow."
He said often, DUI arrests result from stops that were made for something extremely minor.
As of July 1, the Utah Department of Public Safety said there have been 30 impaired driving-related deaths so far in 2024.
"If you plan to drink at all, then don't plan to drive. Make those arrangements for some other transportation," Randall said.
If you see someone who appears to be driving impaired, officials ask the community to call 911 immediately and report it.
