Drinking culture is interesting in that there are no set rules that everyone has to follow, but there are some that many people observe all the same. For instance, many wait until five to have an alcoholic drink, unless they’re on vacation or engaging in some sort of social event. This has given rise to the popular phrase “It’s five o’clock somewhere”, which is essentially just used to excuse drinking before five.
While it’s certainly true that not everyone follows these patterns, if most people do, does that mean that drunk driving arrests are more common at night than during the day? The statistics suggest that that is exactly what happens. It’s not that you never see DUI arrests in the afternoon or even the morning — sometimes from a driver who was up late drinking the night before — but just that the lion’s share of these arrests happen after dark.
What this means is also that police are on the lookout for impaired drivers when the sun goes down. If they see someone swerve over the centerline and back during the morning rush hour, they may assume that driver was adjusting the radio or taking a drink of coffee. If they see the same thing happen at 2:00 a.m., they may assume that driver is drunk and heading home from the bar.
When police officers are being more vigilant, the odds of an arrest go up. Those who get arrested must know what legal defense options they have, as DUI charges can have a massive impact on their lives.