Holiday DUI arrests higher, WSP reports

The Washington State Patrol reports just one highway fatality in the state over the Christmas weekend – a hit-and-run in Auburn – down from four in 2009. The State Patrol reported making more DUI arrests than in 2009, however, which WSP Chief John Batiste believes may have led to the drop in deaths. “Collisions are not accidents,” Batiste said in a news release. “We have the power to eliminate them by simply making better choices,” such as not driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol, slowing down, and wearing seat belts, the release said. Batiste urged drivers to carry that momentum through the New Year’s weekend.