4 arrested for alleged DUI on New Year’s Day, Eve

118 fireworks noise complaints in Clark County.

The Washington State Patrol: 45 speeding tickets, eight seat belt violations, four DUI arrests, four unlicensed drivers, one reckless driving citation.

Vancouver Police Department: four DUI arrests.

The Portland Police Bureau: 23 DUI arrests and more than 170 citations for other traffic offenses.

In the 48-hour period from New Year’s Eve to the end of New Year’s Day, the Washington State Patrol arrested four people in Clark County for suspected drunken driving.

The low figure marks a successful holiday patrolling the area’s highways, according to agency spokesman Trooper Will Finn. However, he added one caveat: “One impaired driver is one too many.”

When you stretch the State Patrol’s coverage area to encompass all of the counties in District 5 — Clark, Skamania, Klickitat, Cowlitz, and Lewis — the number increases to 11.

Finn attributed the low figures to people staying at home or using a designated driver. “A lot of people listen to our message, others don’t,” he said.

Finn added that, although people tend to associate the holiday with drinking, not as many people choose to drink and drive as one might suspect.

For instance, he said the upcoming Super Bowl is a busier day for DUIs. Although people won’t be traveling long distances, they may be impaired from the day’s festivities when they get on the road.