A DUI arrest count measures enforcement activity, not the chance of being injured by an impaired driver. A fatal-crash count measures deaths, not arrests. This page identifies the population, period and measurement for each statistic. We do not rank Arizona holidays until comparable Arizona holiday crash data supports a ranking.
What the evidence shows
2024, all days and hours; police-reported alcohol involvement.
2024, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. (71.5% of alcohol-related crashes).
2024 holiday period, Wednesday 6 p.m. through Monday 5:59 a.m.
Arizona figures: ADOT 2024 Crash Facts, Table 6-10. National Thanksgiving figure: NHTSA 2024. Neither source establishes a comparison of Arizona holiday crash risk per trip or per mile.
How do Arizona holidays compare?
These holidays are important public-safety and travel occasions, but they should not be ranked by raw DUI arrests alone. Holiday enforcement periods differ in length and staffing, while fatalities and crashes describe different outcomes. A defensible comparison needs consistent holiday windows and, ideally, traffic-exposure measures.
New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day
Celebrations can continue late into the night and early morning.
What to do: Plan a sober trip home in advance; never assume a short drive is safe.
Memorial Day
The traditional start of summer travel and an important impaired-driving enforcement period.
What to do: Include a sober driver in plans for gatherings, camping and long-distance trips.
Independence Day
Fireworks, outdoor gatherings and nighttime travel can overlap with drinking.
What to do: Arrange transportation before the event; remain alert after fireworks end.
Labor Day
End-of-summer trips, gatherings and return traffic.
What to do: Give yourself time to rest and avoid driving impaired or fatigued.
Halloween
Evening celebrations, pedestrians and neighborhood traffic can overlap.
What to do: Drive slowly in pedestrian areas and use a sober ride home.
Thanksgiving
The Wednesday-before-Thanksgiving social period, family visits and Sunday return travel create several distinct trip types.
What to do: Plan ahead for Wednesday night and late evening drives; avoid impaired driving and fatigue.
Christmas & winter holidays
Holiday parties, nighttime driving, travel and possible winter weather.
What to do: Designate a sober driver and adapt plans for changing road conditions.
For Thanksgiving specifically, NHTSA reports 164 deaths in drunk-driving crashes nationwide during the 2024 Thanksgiving holiday period. That number covers a defined holiday window, not just Thanksgiving Day. NHTSA also reports 910 such deaths across the 2020–2024 Thanksgiving periods. Read NHTSA's Thanksgiving facts →
One useful comparison: the National Safety Council's historical analysis finds that overall traffic deaths during Thanksgiving have not been statistically distinguishable from comparable nearby nonholiday weekends. That is an all-traffic comparison, not proof that DUI risk is identical. Read the comparison methodology →
When are alcohol-related crashes more common?
ADOT recorded 3,947 alcohol-related crashes between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., versus 1,573 during the daytime. This is a statewide, year-round distribution—not a Thanksgiving-specific hourly forecast.
ADOT's hour-by-hour table shows the number of reported alcohol-related crashes for each hour. The counts do not adjust for the number of vehicles on the road at each hour.
For Thanksgiving travel, be particularly deliberate about late-night journeys after social gatherings. Wednesday night deserves attention because NHTSA explicitly targets Thanksgiving Eve in its impaired-driving prevention campaign. Do not interpret the nighttime share as your personal chance of a crash.
Where are impaired-driving hazards more likely?
There is no reliable city-street ranking on this page. Areas where nightlife, evening events and travel routes overlap warrant attention, but calling a particular road a DUI hotspot requires actual location-specific crash records and exposure context. Night driving, high-speed rural roads, difficult weather and fatigue can create additional hazards; none proves that impaired drivers are more prevalent on a named road.
Explore the ADOT crash dashboards for geographic context. We will add an Arizona-specific map only when the underlying source can be documented and reproduced.
How to keep Thanksgiving and other holidays safer
- If you're going out: Decide who will drive sober before drinking begins. Arrange a ride, public transit where available, or a place to stay.
- If you're hosting: Offer appealing alcohol-free drinks, help guests arrange sober rides and make staying overnight an option.
- If you're driving: Wear a seat belt, leave space, remain alert for erratic driving and avoid driving when tired. Consider moving optional late-night travel to a better-rested time.
- If you encounter a dangerous driver: Keep your distance; do not follow or confront them. When it's safe, report an immediate danger to 911 with location and vehicle details.
These actions reduce avoidable risks; no departure time or route can guarantee that you will not encounter an impaired driver.
What happens after an Arizona DUI—or a crash causing injury or death?
Arizona has separate rules for standard DUI, extreme DUI, repeat or aggravated offenses, and administrative driver's-license proceedings. An impaired-driving crash causing injury or death may also lead to serious felony charges, depending on the evidence and statutory elements. A fatal crash does not automatically become a manslaughter conviction.
For journalists: story angles and research files
This is a resource library, not a single prescribed news story. Potential angles include Thanksgiving Eve, dangerous hours, how holiday fatality measures differ from arrests, travel safety in rural Arizona, the costs of DUI, and advice for Thanksgiving hosts.
Holiday enforcement numbers
Use our existing Arizona Thanksgiving DUI arrests and traffic-stops report. These figures measure law-enforcement activity and may change with staffing and campaign boundaries.
View Thanksgiving enforcement research →Crash data and definitions
Start with ADOT and NHTSA source tables. Distinguish crashes, people killed, arrests, convictions and alcohol involvement before making comparisons.
View ADOT crash data →Suggested citation: AZDUI.org, “Arizona Holiday DUI Statistics and Driving Safety” (accessed with date), citing the original source alongside each quoted statistic. For questions, corrections or interviews, contact AZDUI.org.
Sources, definitions and limitations
- ADOT: 2024 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts (Tables 6-10 and related tables)
- ADOT: Arizona crash data and annual dashboards
- NHTSA: Thanksgiving impaired-driving campaign and fatal-crash data
- National Safety Council: Thanksgiving comparisons and methodology
- Arizona Revised Statutes: standard DUI (§ 28-1381)
- Arizona Revised Statutes: extreme DUI (§ 28-1382)
ADOT defines “alcohol-related” crashes based on police reports indicating a participant had been drinking; this does not necessarily establish illegal intoxication. NHTSA's drunk-driving fatality figures use their own alcohol-impairment definition and reporting boundaries. Numbers from these systems must not be combined into a single trend without harmonizing definitions. This resource provides general information, not individualized legal advice.