Many people have preconceived notions about getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, and many of them are incorrect. So here, for your information, we have compiled a list of interesting and informative facts about DUIs that you may find enlightening. Many of these were drawn from statistics provided by the Michigan State Police at the end of 2015.

1. More men than women drive drunk

According to recent statistics released by the MSP, almost three quarters of drunk drivers are male. 73% of drunk driving related arrests are apparently men, with female drivers only making up the remaining 27%. Interesting, although there is no information to explain this phenomenon.

2. Less than 1% of the state’s population drive drunk

Or, more accurately, less than 1% of Michigan’s population have been arrested for drunk driving. There are always those people who do it but don’t get caught. However, according to the MSP, a total of 0.5% of the state’s populace were arrested for driving drunk.

3. Male arrest rates dropping faster than female

Although statistics show that there has been a more substantial decrease in Michigan DUI arrests for male drivers than for female. Between 2005 and 2014, there was a 39% percent drop in male drunk drivers, but only a 22% drop in female drunk drivers. That makes sense, however, when you think about the fact that there are considerably more male drunk drivers to begin with.

4. OWI convictions are public record

If you have been convicted of driving drunk, this is now a part of your permanent record, and it’s available for the public to see. Which mean that this information is available for your employer, your university, and even your future spouse’s parents to see.

5. Michigan DUIs never go away

While state law does allow the governor to expunge certain crimes from a person’s record, history has proven that Snyder isn’t known for his generosity when it comes to DUI expungements (so far he has granted exactly one). And without that expungement, your Michigan DUI conviction is with you for the rest of your life, unlike a traffic ticket which falls off your record after a certain number of years.

6. Most Michigan DUI stem from alcohol, not drugs

According to the MSP, over 30,000 drivers were pulled over for suspected drunk driving in 2014. Of those drivers, 88% submitted willingly to some form of alcohol testing. The results revealed that only 21% of those tested did not have alcohol in their systems.

7. Three times is not a charm

That may work for baseball and sometimes even marriages (although not usually), but it certainly doesn’t apply to drunk driving. In Michigan, while the first two DUIs are misdemeanors, the third one is charged as a felony. Which means prison time. So it’s very serious, and should not be taken lightly.

We hope this was informative, or at the very least interesting. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very rewarding and productive new year, and remind you to drive safely. If however, you need our help, we are always here for you.