Arizona has many residents who are currently struggling with alcohol abuse problems; thus the need for more quality alcohol rehabs to be available throughout the state. Most people in Arizona will not be able to overcome their alcoholism problems without professional alcohol rehabilitation. When a person in Arizona receives help from a quality alcohol treatment center, they will be taking the first step towards their alcohol recovery. There are many different types of alcohol rehab programs that are available in and around Arizona, including inpatient, outpatient, short term or long term, just to name a select few.

Sometimes an individual from Arizona will choose to attend an outpatient alcohol treatment program, which will allow them to attend rehabilitation classes and to still be able to meet their obligations at home; it is important to note that not everyone can thrive with this low level of treatment. Another alcohol rehab option is residential inpatient treatment, which allows the person from Arizona to be able to reside at the alcohol rehabilitation facility where they can focus solely on their treatment program.

The first step in an Arizona alcohol rehab facility is alcohol detoxification; the alcohol detox process may trigger mild to severe withdrawal symptoms and should be overseen by professionals. It is extremely important that an individual from Arizona that has completed detox follows up this rehabilitation process with a comprehensive alcohol rehab program that includes some form of counseling or group classes, relapse prevention education and follow up care. The primary goal of any quality alcohol rehab should be to enable the individual from Arizona to be able to successfully achieve a state of lasting abstinence.

Arizona alcohol related information and statistics are provided by the US Dept. of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Conference of State Legislatures, 2004. The table below shows the total number of traffic fatalities (Tot) for Arizona, alcohol related fatalities (Alc-Rel) and fatalities in crashes where the highest BAC in the crash was 0.08 or above (0.08+).

It is important to note that the Arizona drunk driving statistics, as shown below, include data from individuals in Arizona who were in an alcohol-related crash, but not driving a motor vehicle at the time. The U.S. Department of Transportation defines alcohol-related deaths as "fatalities that occur in crashes where at least one driver or non-occupant (pedestrian or pedalcyclist) involved in the crash has a positive Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) value."

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Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2003-2004, Office of Applied Studies 2003-2004 and the MADD Official Website statistics 2004

�'When is a driver considered to be legally drunk in Arizona?

• Non-commercial Arizona drivers age 21+ are considered legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is .08 or more.
• Arizona drivers of commercial vehicles are legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is .04 percent or greater. Under Arizona law, school bus drivers are commercial drivers.
• It is illegal in Arizona for a person under 21 to drive while there is any liquor in the person's body. Under Arizona law, the offense of "underage drinking and driving" may be committed without any evidence or presumption of "impaired" driving. If an 18, 19, or 20-year old Arizona driver is actually impaired or has a blood alcohol level of .08 or greater, that driver may be charged with DUI and underage drinking and driving in Arizona.

Penalties for Drunk Driving in Arizona

• A first-time Arizona DUI offender whose blood alcohol level was less than .15 must serve at least 10 days in Arizona jail, pay a fine of at least $250, and pay additional assessments of $1,000 to be deposited in the prison construction and operations fund and the Arizona general fund. The driver's license suspension period is at least 90 days.
• If a person in Arizona is convicted of DUI for a second time within 60 months of the first conviction, the offender must serve at least 90 days in Arizona jail, pay a fine of at least $500, and pay additional assessments totaling $5,000. The driver's license revocation period is one year. After the license is reinstated, the offender will be required to equip any vehicle he or she operates with a certified ignition interlock device. The sentencing judge may require the Arizona offender to use an ignition interlock for more than one year.
• If a person in Arizona is convicted of DUI three or more times within a 60-month period, the person is subject to Arizona's "aggravated driving while under the influence" law. Under that law, the Arizona offender faces two-and-one-half years in prison. The offender must also attend and complete an Arizona alcohol education or treatment program, pay a fine of at least $750, as well as additional assessments of $1,750. The driver's license revocation period is three years. After the license is reinstated, the offender will be required to equip any motor vehicle he or she operates with a certified ignition interlock device. The judge may require the Arizona offender to use the ignition interlock for more than one year.

Enhanced Penalties in Arizona for "Driving While Under the Extreme Influence of Intoxicating Liquor"

Under Arizona law, a driver whose blood alcohol level is .15 or above faces enhanced penalties for "driving while under the extreme influence of intoxicating liquor." A first-time offender in Arizona faces a minimum jail term of 30 days, a fine of at least $250, and additional assessments totaling $2,250, to be deposited into the driving under the influence abatement fund, the prison construction and operations funds, and the Arizona state general fund. The driver's license suspension period is at least 90 days. These offenders are also required to equip an ignition interlock device on any motor vehicle they operate for at least 12 months after their license is restored. If within a 60-month period of being convicted under this statute, the person is convicted of a second DUI in Arizona, the minimum jail term is 120 days, the fine is at least $500, and additional assessments total $2,750. The driver's license revocation period is at least one year. After the license is restored, the Arizona offender will be required to equip any motor vehicle he or she operates with a certified ignition interlock device for at least one year.

Arizona's Enhanced Penalty for Drunk Driving While Carrying a Passenger Under 15

If a person in Arizona is convicted of DUI while a person under 15 was in the vehicle, the offender is subject to Arizona's "aggravated driving while under the influence" law. Under that law, the offender faces up to two-and-one-half years in prison. The person must also attend and complete an Arizona alcohol education or treatment program, pay a fine of at least $750, as well as additional assessments of $1,750. The driver's license revocation period is three years. After the license is reinstated, the Arizona offender will be required to equip any motor vehicle he or she operates with a certified ignition interlock device. The sentencing judge may require the offender to use the ignition interlock for more than one year.

Commercial Drivers
In addition to other penalties associated with Arizona's DUI laws, a commercial driver who commits a first DUI while driving any vehicle in Arizona will lose his or her commercial driver's license for at least one year. If, however, the DUI was committed while the commercial driver was transporting hazardous materials, the offender will be disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for at least three years. A commercial driver who commits a second DUI while driving in any vehicle in Arizona will lose his or her commercial driver's license for life, which may or may not be reduced to 10 years.

Drivers Under 18
In addition to other penalties that may be imposed by a juvenile court judge, a driver under 18 who is convicted of underage DUI in Arizona will receive a mandatory two-year driver's license suspension. If, however, the minor commits the DUI in Arizona while a passenger under 15 is in the vehicle, the minor will receive a mandatory three-year driver's license suspension for violating Arizona's aggravated driving while under the influence law.

Drivers 18, 19, and 20
In addition to other penalties that may be imposed, a person 18, 19, or 20 who is convicted of underage DUI in Arizona will have his or her driver's license suspended for two years. A judge may order a restricted license during this period, so the minor can drive between his home, school, and work place during specified hours according to the person's school and employment schedule. If such a license is issued, the Arizona offender must use an ignition interlock device.

What is Arizona's Dram Shop Act?
Under Arizona's Dram Shop Act, licensed drinking establishments are liable for personal injuries caused by intoxication if:
(1) the Arizona establishment sold alcohol to a person under 21 without requiring proof of age or with knowledge that the person was underage; or
(2) the Arizona establishment sold liquor to a person who was "obviously intoxicated." Under Arizona law, "obviously intoxicated" means inebriated to an extent that the person's physical faculties are substantially impaired and the impairment is shown by significantly uncoordinated physical action or significant physical dysfunction that would have been obvious to a reasonable person.

What is Arizona's Emergency Response Cost Law?
Under this law, if a person drives under the influence, causes an accident that requires an emergency response, and is later convicted of Arizona DUI, the person is liable for the costs of the emergency response up to $1,000.

Arizona Criminal Penalties for Selling or Giving Liquor to an Underage Person
In Arizona, it is a crime to sell or give alcohol to a person under 21. Anyone who violates this law faces up to six months in prison and is subject to pay a fine of up to $2,500.