According to the Lexington Police Department, DUIs are on the rise in Lexington.
Department data shows a 113.9% increase in DUI-related arrests from 2020 to 2024. Of the 3,706 DUI-related arrests made in the last four years, nearly 60% of those were alcohol involved.
UK Mental Health Clinician, Martin Green and UK Alcohol Researcher Lelia Andrews join Campus Voices to discuss what’s behind the alarming trend.
Andrews says age is a major component of the trend.
“You have 21-year-olds who are just beginning to be able to legally drink,” Andrews said. “Some people may have grown up not being able to do so.”
Green says many resort to substance abuse to deal with stress. Despite the trend, he says there is still hope.
“This is very treatable and that’s the good news,” Green said. “Folks who are struggling with this, when they get into recovery, they heal.”
Listen to the full interview above.
This segment was produced in collaboration with UK’s School of Journalism and Media.