When people hear about DUI arrests and DUI accidents, most instinctively envision the driver responsible to be male, and that’s because for years, the majority of DUI arrests have been male. However, in news released today, a troubling trend is advancing – far more women are being arrested for DUI than ever before, and that’s true not only of Sacramento, but of California as a whole.

According to the Sacramento Bee:

“Between 2000 and 2008, DUI cases filed against women in Sacramento County rose 60 percent, triple the increase for male offenders, according to an analysis done for The Bee by the District Attorney’s Office.

The trend is especially dramatic among young women, including teenagers, statewide. In 1998, girls made up 16.8 percent of the total DUI arrests of those under 18, according to data from the California Office of Traffic Safety. By 2007, that percentage had shot up to 24.3 – the largest increase of any age group, male or female.

While men lead in drunken-driving busts, teenage girls and women of all ages are rapidly gaining entry to this dangerous club. In California, the female DUI arrest rate rose between 1998 and 2007 in every age group – from the under-18 crowd up to the 71-plus, state figures show.”

While men are still the ones most often arrested for DUI, this is not a positive situation for those who drive responsibly. While officials debate the cause of this rise that ranges from more women living independent social lives to a simple product of tougher enforcement, it doesn’t matter to anyone who has been killed or injured in a DUI accident.

If you or someone you love has suffered because of a drunk driver, you need the help of Sacramento auto accident attorneys who understand the intricacies of liability within the context of DUI. Contact Demas & Rosenthal today to schedule a free initial consultation.