Feds: Growth in women who drink and drive

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of women arrested for drunken driving has jumped nearly 30 percent in the past decade, a dangerous trend that was all too evident when a wrong-way crash involving a woman in New York killed eight people.

The Transportation Department said the number of women arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased 28.8 percent between 1998 and 2007. The number of men arrested under the influence fell 7.5 percent during the same period.

“If you’re over the limit, you’re under arrest. This is a matter of life and death,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Despite the new trend, drunken-driving arrests remain dominated by men.

In 1998, 676,911 men were arrested for being under the influence, compared with 626,371 arrests in 2007. More than 126,000 women were arrested for DUI in 1998, a number which increased to 162,493 in 2007.

The Associated Press initially reported the figures earlier this month.