Category : Drunk Driving Accidents
Man Charged in Fatal Sacramento Drunk Driving Accident Had Just Had License Reinstated
Injury lawyers in California have always spoken out against some of the weaknesses of the state’s license suspension and reinstatement laws. It now appears that a man who has just been charged in a fatal accident in Sacramento, California had just had his license reinstated the previous week.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning. According to police, an Acura collided with a Lincoln. The Acura was sent crashing into a tree, and burst into flames. One man inside was ejected from the car, and died from his injuries. Two other men were trapped in the car, and were burnt to death. A fourth occupant has been hospitalized with serious injuries. The driver of the Lincoln, 25-year-old Omar Carasco allegedly fled from the scene of the accident on foot. He has now been arrested and charged with felony hit and run.
As it now turns out, Carasco had barely been driving legally for a couple of days before the fatal accident occurred. He had just had his license reinstated on Thursday. Carasco has had his license suspended a total of five times in the past for a range of offenses, including driving under the influence. Over the past three years, he seems to have gotten into trouble on numerous occasions with the law. The most recent brush with the law came in February, when he canceled his auto insurance. His first license suspension for drunk driving came in April of 2007. That year, he failed repeatedly to show up in court on the appointed dates, leading to repeated suspensions. Other offenses include failure to complete a DUI education program.
It’s not clear yet if Carasco was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the fatal accident. He was only arrested when he turned up at a local hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained during the accident. This crash should reignite the debate of when a motorist must be deemed incompetent to drive and have his license permanently revoked. California’s autocentric culture seems to give voters the sense that their driving privileges are a matter of right and entitlement. They are not. Driving is a privilege, and comes with a set of duties and responsibilities. If a person fails to use these privileges responsibly, he or she must stand to lose these. A look at Carasco’s past records shows a motorist with very little respect for the driving rights bestowed on him. The fact that he has never caused serious injuries or fatalities in the past is pale into insignificance when you understand that this man allegedly caused a fiery accident that has killed three people.
Whether Carasco was driving drunk at the time of the crash is still being debated, however by fleeing the scene of a fatal crash that killed three people it is not looking good for Caracsco. California’s laws require a motorist involved in an accident to remain at the scene and offer his or her contact information.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Woman Killed in Drunk Driving Accident in Costa Mesa
At least two people have been arrested in a drunk driving accident that occurred over the weekend in Costa Mesa. The accident killed one woman. According to police, a Toyota Tundra was fleeing the scene of an accident in Santa Ana. The Tundra ran a red light at an intersection, and struck a Toyota Corolla. The passenger side of the Corolla took the full impact of the crash.
A 20-year-old woman who was sitting in the front passenger seat in the Corolla, was killed instantly. The 21-year-old driver Hao A Nguyen sustained minor injuries, and was treated at the Western Medical Center in Santa Ana. The driver of the Toyota Tundra, Costa Mesta resident Gustavo Vega was arrested at the scene of the accident. He has been booked on suspicion of murder, vehicular manslaughter, and other charges.
Every year, intoxicated driving kills more people in California than any other crash factor. The fight against driving under the influence is far from over. Even though California has made substantial progress in containing DUI crash rates, there is a long way to go. A recent survey this month shows that California still has a lot of work ahead of it, The survey revealed that a surprising number of California cities were featured in a list of the most drunk cities in the country. The city of Fresno in fact, earns for itself the tag of being the most inebriated city in the country.
Men’s Health Magazine, which compiled the list, took a number of factors into consideration to arrive at the names on the list. One of these factors was the number of drunk driving accidents. Granted, DUI crash rates were not the only factor taken in mind while compiling the list. Other factors like the number of deaths from alcohol-related liver disorders were also considered. But the list has made media headlines, and has made more than a few Californians, including those in Fresno and the other cities on the list, uncomfortable.
Drunk driving kills more than a thousand people in California every year. A big step forward in curbing DUI crash fatality rates would be requiring ignition interlock devices on all vehicles of DUI offenders, even those convicted for the very first time. A pilot program on in Los Angeles, Tulare, Alameda, and Sacramento counties currently requires that this device be installed in all vehicles of all DUI offenders. This seems to be a practice run, and if the program is found to be successful, then it will be expanded to cover the rest of California.
Car accident lawyers in California have been very supportive of this program. More steps need to be taken to deal with the problem of repeat drunk driving, and the laws make it too easy for a person convicted of DUI to drive again.
Not surprisingly, the program has critics, especially those connected with the alcohol and beverage industry. The American Beverage Institute believes the program is not necessary first time DUI offenders. California personal injury lawyers would disagree. Too many lives are lost every year in alcohol-related car crashes for legislators to slow down pressure on such motorists.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Attorneys Close to Plea Deal in Fatal Orville Drunk Driving Accident
Lawyers say they may be able to resolve a fatal drunk driving accident case which occurred last year in Orville.
Fabian Aguayo was driving a pickup truck that crashed into a Toyota south on Highway 99 in September last year. Ismael Curiel Topete was driving his wife and his 6-year-old daughter in the Toyota at the time of the crash. Topete suffered serious injuries in the accident, and died at the scene. Both his wife and daughter were seriously injured. Aguayo had been charged in the accident, and has waived a pretrial hearing.
Hamilton city-resident Aguayo had allegedly been drinking at a club north of Chico, just before he began driving and crashed into the Toyota. Employees at the Centerfolds Gentleman’s Club on Highway 99 attempted to stop him from driving away, but he drove right off. About a mile later, he made a sudden U turn, and began driving south before hitting the Toyota head on.
Drunk Driving Crash Damages in California
Victims of drunk driving accidents may hold the other motorist responsible for the accident. Driving under the influence of alcohol or a drug constitutes negligence, and a motorist can be held accountable for his actions not just in a criminal court, but also through a civil action.
Damages can include
Reimbursement of Medical Expenses
A drunk driving accident can often result in serious injuries. Very often, these are high impact accidents that may also involve speeding. Victims may need extensive hospitalization, surgeries, physical therapy and rehabilitation. Injuries that are severe may necessitate making changes to the victim’s house and the vehicle. These modifications can include a specially equipped car to enable the victim to be as mobile as possible, even with his injury. Victims who suffer from serious injuries like brain injuries or spinal cord fractures may also be in need of 24-hour care and assistance.
Lost Income
Even when injuries are minor, the victim of an alcohol-related accident could stand to lose many days off work. A benefits package will compensate him for the loss of this wages.
Pain and Suffering
These damages are meant to compensate for the pain and anguish that a victim suffered. It’s hard to place a monetary value on this experience, and an auto accident lawyer in California will be able to arrive at a suitable claim amount after discussing the options with you.
Property Damage
Damage to your vehicle can be massive in an alcohol-related accident. Damages can help cover the cost of such expenses.
Damages for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering and property damage fall under the category of compensatory damages. These are meant to compensate the victim for all the losses he suffered as a result of the other person’s negligence. However, in cases where the negligence has been severe, a court may decide to award punitive damages. These are not meant to compensate victims, but are awarded to punish the defendant for his negligence. These are also known as exemplary damages.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Sisters in Bakersfield Drunk Driving Accident Awarded Damages of $31 Million
Two sisters in Bakersfield have been awarded a massive verdict of more than $31 million in a drunk driving accident. The two sisters, Marta Perez and Rosie Landeros however, don’t believe that the award will make them feel whole again.
The accident occurred on June 15th, 2007. The sisters were in a Honda Civic, on their way out for an evening together. Just south of Bakersfield, the Honda was struck by a pickup truck driven by Gustavo Davalo Torres. He was driving under the influence when he blew a stop sign and crashed into the Civic. Torres was driving a pickup for Pala Rosa farms.
Rosie Landeros, who was driving the Civic, took the brunt of the impact. A California Highway Patrol Officer, who happened to be nearby, came to the aid of the victims. Torres first told the California Highway Patrol that he had drunk two beers. He later told the attorney for the two sisters, that he had had four beers. However, experts from the crime lab testified that for Torres to be as drunk as he was, he had to have drunk between 8 and 12 beers.
At the time of the accident, Landeros was a 16-year-old student at Arvin High School. Her dream was to become a nurse, and like any 16-year-old, she had a buzzing social life. She is now confined to a walker, and her left leg has virtually no strength. Her left arm is still bent from the impact of the crash, and she suffers from memory loss. She has no control over emotions and judgment abilities. Perez also suffered brain injuries, but has since recovered enough to go back to work.
Attorneys for the two sisters had asked for up to $300 million in damages. However, defense lawyers for Torres and the farm’s insurance company asked for an amount between $7 and 8 million. The two sisters have now been awarded more than $31 million, believed to be the largest personal injury verdict in Kern County. Perez was awarded $100,000, while her sister who suffered serious brain injuries in the crash, received the rest.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
California Increases Focus on Drunk Driving Accident Prevention
The state of California will crack down especially hard on intoxicated motorists in the year 2010. The California Office of Traffic Safety will fund more than 2,500 sobriety checkpoints this year. That is 47 percent more checkpoints than in 2009. In fact, according to the Ventura County Star, 2010 will be the Year of the Checkpoint.
One hundred forty eight law enforcement agencies across California received approximately $8 million to conduct 250 sobriety checkpoints over the December holiday season, right through the 3rd of January. That funding was an increase from $5 million the previous year. California already has more numbers of checkpoints than any other state in the country. According to officials with the Office of Traffic Safety, drunk driving accident deaths have dropped since the state began increasing funding for sobriety checkpoints in 2006.
These funding grants for checkpoints will be allocated based on the need for checkpoints in that area. For instance, Oxnard had 197 deaths in drunk driving accidents in 2008. The city was ranked at first place in an analysis of 55 cities in California in DUI accident rates. Oxnard is therefore in line for more funds for checkpoints. The city is due for a $357,000 grant to boost anti drunk driving efforts. The city will be using these grants to conduct 16 sobriety checkpoints and a dozen saturation patrols through September 30th 2007.
California drunk driving accident lawyers agree that sobriety checkpoints act as an effective deterrent to drunk driving. Across the country, state law enforcement agencies are seeing that education awareness efforts on their own, may not do much to bring about a drop in DUI fatality rates. However, when the education campaigns are combined with sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols, there is a much higher chance of success in combating drunk driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there has been a drop of 7 percent in drunk driving accident rates across the country. California has seen a drop of 9 percent in its DUI accident rates. Much of the credit must go to law enforcement agencies, who pull over suspected intoxicated motorists to make sure they are off the streets. There has also been a sustained effort in California to target anti DUI efforts toward vulnerable sections of the motorist population like teen drivers. The California Highway Patrol frequently conducts awareness campaigns, targeting teen motorists and partners with local law enforcement agencies to reach more numbers of teens. Teen motorists are at a higher risk of intoxicated driving, and the state has done a great job targeting these motorists.
However, even with additional sobriety checkpoints and other activities, there still continue to be large numbers of motorists in California who think nothing of driving when they are under the influence. These motorists were responsible for the more than 1,000 deaths that occurred in drunk driving accidents in California last year.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
New iTunes App May Help Prevent Drunk Driving Accidents in California
California drunk driving accident lawyers are very interested in a new iTunes app that helps users estimate their own blood alcohol level, thus ensuring that intoxicated motorists are off the road. The app is called “R-U-Buzzed?” and is available on iPhone and iPod Touches. The app calculates your BAC level depending on your weight. It was launched last month just in time for the alcohol-heavy New Year’s holiday.
The Colorado Department of Transportation launched the free app last year to help New Year revelers determine their blood alcohol levels. According to the Wall Street Journal, the application has already been downloaded more than 40,000 times. The Colorado DOT, like law enforcement agencies around the country has been developing innovative measures to minimize drunk driving accidents. The agency already has an interactive website that provides partiers a host of valuable information, including locations where their cars can be parked safely overnight, as well as the location of bars that offer free taxi ride vouchers. However, none of these efforts seem to have caught on as quickly as R-U-Buzzed?
The Colorado DOT has spent just $8,000 to develop the app. This app is designed to allow users to feed in their weight, gender, and the total number of beers, wine and liquor beverages consumed. Based on this information, the app comes up with a BAC level. The number comes with a color coated message.
- A gray color message spells out “No hangover expected”.
- A yellow colored message spells out You’re Buzzed!.
- A red color message provides a strong warning – “Don’t even think about it! Designate a sober driver.”
In the state of Colorado, the app comes with an additional feature that California drunk driving accident lawyers will love – it provides a GPS system that allows you to call a taxi.
The app however comes with a disclaimer that the BAC levels thrown up are not definitive. California personal injury lawyers who often see how different kinds of people in different situations can have varying levels of intoxication, will agree. The level of intoxication depends not just on the weight and the number of drinks you have had, but also the kind of and amount of food you have consumed, the kind of medication you’re on, and whether you have had sufficient rest before drinking.
The app has its critics, especially from those who believe that it would encourage people who are not perfectly sober to drive anyway. For instance, if your BAC showed up as .05 percent, it could be below the legally allowed limit of .08 percent, but could still impact your driving abilities by leaving you with false hope and feeling a little reckless. Besides, other critics like Mothers Against Drunk Driving say that the only anti drunk driving message out there should be “don’t drink and drive”. Apps like this they believe, encourage people especially young drivers, to think that it can be safe to drive if your iPhone says so.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Simi Valley Man Charged with Murder in Fatal Drunk Driving Accident
On the day that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that there had been a drop of 7 percent in drunk driving fatalities across the country including California, a Simi Valley man has been charged with murder in a fatal drunk driving accident in November.
The victim 19-year-old Taylor Marie Moss, was driving home with two of her friends on a Los Angeles freeway. Moss’s car was struck head-on by a vehicle driven by Simi Valley- resident Hector J Ortiz. The head-on collision killed Moss and left her two friends injured. Hector was driving under the influence of alcohol causing him to end up on the wrong way on the freeway. Prosecutors have now filed murder charges against Ortiz. His bail has been set at $1 million. Ortiz is also facing charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence causing injury and driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 of causing injury.
It’s not frequently that murder charges are applied in a fatal drunk driving accident. According to the Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorney, murder charges may be brought in a drunk driving accident, when there is enough evidence of implied malice. According to prosecutors, they have reason to believe that Ortiz acted in malice, and that murder charges were appropriate in this case.
California drunk driving accident lawyers have been pushing for stronger punishment against drunk drivers. Murder charges against someone who was so drunk he ended up on the wrong way on a freeway, and in a position to cause serious harm to another, seems appropriate. It’s time that fatal drunk driving crashes were dealt with strictly.
Under California laws, motorists who are applying for a license or renewing their license, are required to sign an acknowledgement that they are aware that they may be charged with murder, if they ever cause injuries in a drunk driving accident. Often, California auto accident lawyers see DUI offenders who have caused serious or fatal injuries in a crash get away with the defense that the offense was unintentional, and they were not aware of the dangers of intoxicated driving.
Dealing with intoxicated driving requires a multi-pronged solution. The solution involves a combination of law enforcement activities, awareness campaigns, technology and stiff sentencing that makes it harder for motorists to get away with a slap on the wrist after they cause serious or fatal injuries in an accident. Law enforcement authorities can do their bit to periodically crack down on intoxicated drivers to keep them off the streets. However, these intensified crackdowns can’t be undertaken 365 days a year and across all counties in California, because of staffing and funding crunches.
A new California law has established a pilot program in four California counties – Los Angeles, Sacramento, Tulare and Alameda – involving the installation of ignition interlock systems in all vehicles of convicted drunk drivers. If the program is found to be successful in reducing drunk driving crash rates, it may be introduced in other counties in California too.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Disparity in Drunk Driving Sentences in Merced, Sonoma Raises Hackles
A recent reduction in sentencing handed down to the teenage son of a Central Valley prosecutor has caused some anger over what appears to be preferred treatment for the prosecutor’s son.
According to a report in Press Democrat, prosecutor Larry Morse who is a district attorney in Merced County, has pushed for a strong 11-year prison sentenced for 22-year-old Aubrey Hogue. Hogue was involved in a drunk driving accident tin 2007 in which 2 people were killed. This week, Morse’s son Dylan received a slashed sentence after a convection in a felony drunk driving accident that killed one person and left another severely injured. Dylan Morse was involved in the accident last Valentine’s day when he was visiting the Sonoma State University. A Berkeley student Alex Ruiz was killed in the crash, and Dylan’s friend Ryne Spitzer was left injured and in a coma.
Morse had apparently used a fake ID to purchase alcohol. But this week, a judge slashed his sentenced, chopping off 9 years from the initial 12-year prison sentence he received. The slashed sentence came after both sides made emotional pleas to the judge. Dylan will now be out of jail in 28 months, which is the California average for such accidents.
That reduction in sentence has made the Hogue family angry. According to Aubree’s father Richard Hogue, there is some hypocrisy involved in handing down a reduced sentence to the son of a district attorney who pushed for as strong a sentence as possible for their daughter. The Hogues insist that Morse pushed for a strong sentence for their daughter, but Morse denies that he was involved in charging the young woman. He also says that the circumstances of the two cases are very different. Since the accident involving Dylan Morse, his father has relegated drunk driving accident decisions to a chief deputy.
Hogue’s accident occurred in October 28th 2007. She was 20 years old then and drinking in a bar. As she drove home, she ended up on a wrong way on highway 99, and crashed into an oncoming car with four military service men. Two men were killed in the crash. Blood alcohol tests conducted after the crash showed that her alcohol level was more than twice the legally allowed .08 limit.
The California Highway Patrol asked prosecutors to press for second-degree murder charges against Hogue, because she chose to drive on, in spite of a friend offering her a place to stay at night. Prosecutors also argued that Hogue’s stepfather had been convicted in a fatal drunk driving accident and had spent 5 years in prison. This family experience should have taught Hogue the dangers of drinking and driving. Hogue was offered an 11 year sentence, if she agreed to plead guilty to charges of gross vehicular manslaughter and an enhancement.
Her parents argue that her prosecutors wanted to make an example out of Hogue, and therefore pressed for a stronger punishment. To California drunk driving accident lawyers, these two cases are just another warning to teen motorists – don’t drink and drive.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
California Drunk Driving Accident Attorneys Concerned about Crash Rates
California drunk driving accident lawyers have been very encouraged at the decline in the number of accidents caused by DUIs in recent years. Fewer people are likely to be killed in accidents caused by intoxicated drivers compared to what they used to be in the previous decades. However, in recent days, it has been very disconcerting to see a rise in the number of drunk driving accidents in the recent news headlines. All of these have serious implications.
Last month, a United Airlines pilot was found to be intoxicated as he showed up for duty. The pilot was arrested, and the news made headlines around the world. Then, there was the overzealous LazyBoy enthusiast in Minnesota, who fitted his recliner with headlights, a drink holder and a lawnmower engine, downed more than a few drinks, and barreled down the streets. He ended up crashing his recliner into a car. The man’s alcohol level at the time of the crash was 0.29. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident, and the incident was more of a joke than a safety issue.
- In 2008, 11,173 people died in drunk driving accidents. Those numbers were down close to 10 percent from 13,041 in 2007. However, in 2008, drunk driving accident fatalities accounted for 32 percent of traffic accident fatalities.
- Last year, according to FBI estimates, about one and a half million people were arrested for drunk driving.
- There is also an increase in the number of women driving under the influence of alcohol. Between 2007 and 2008, the total number of people arrested for drunk driving dropped around the country. However, the number of intoxicated female motorists involved in fatal drunk driving accidents actually increased in 2008.
- According to NHTSA records, the number of motorists aged between 16 and 20 years old killed in accidents involving drunk driving or motorcyclists, increased by 3.9 percent in 2006, compared to 2005.
- In the 21 to 34 age group, the number of drunk driving fatalities increased .7 percent during the same period of time.
Stricter laws against drunk driving and the prospect of fines and suspensions have meant a drop in the number of fatalities caused by these preventable accidents. However drunk driving continues to account for a lion’s share of the annual fatalities in the country. For the past few years in a row, drunk driving has accounted for approximately 30 percent of the country’s annual highway traffic death toll. Every year, we lose an average of 11,000 people to intoxicated drivers.
Preventing drunk driving accidents is often just a matter of designating a sober driver who can take you home after a night of drinking. However, getting the designated driver to remain sober can be a challenge. Many cities in California now have designated driver services that, for a small fee, can pick you up from the venue, and drop you to your home. Services like these are becoming increasing popular in California, and drunk driving accident lawyers greatly recommend that persons who can’t stop the drinks, hire such services to prevent accidents. Even one intoxicated motorist kept off the streets every day, can be enough to make a difference to these accident numbers.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.
Governor Passes Bill That Could Minimize Drunk Driving Accidents Caused by Repeat Offenders
As discussed in this blog earlier, a bill was introduced by Assemblyman Mike Feuer (D-Los Angeles) aimed to establish a pilot program in which an ignition interlock device would be installed on vehicles owned or operated by DUI offenders. The bill was among hundreds of bills that had been left pending during a political stalemate, in which Governor Schwarzenegger threatened to veto any bill that landed on his desk, unless lawmakers voted to pass a package to overhaul California’s water system. In what is encouraging news for California auto accident lawyers, the governor on Sunday signed hundreds of bills, which included the one relating to the pilot program.
Assembly bill AB91 was introduced by Assemblyman Feuer. The bill will create a pilot program that will run for five years in four Counties – Los Angeles, Alameda, Sacramento and Tulare. Under that program, first time drunk driving offenders will have ignition interlock devices installed in their vehicles. The device works by detecting alcohol on the breath of motorists. If alcohol is detected, the device simply shuts down the ignition, preventing the car from starting.
The ignition interlock device has been recognized as an effective way of cutting down on the incidence of repeat drunk driving. Statistics show that most serious drunk driving accidents are caused by repeat drunk drivers. Tackling the problem of repeat DUI has been a challenging one for law enforcement authorities. AB91 will first set off a pilot program in these 4 counties, and alcohol ignition locks will be installed on all vehicles of convicted drunk driving offenders, even first time offenders. In a few years, the program may even be implemented in other counties in the state.
The bill has strong support from California personal injury lawyers, and a number of organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Nurses Association, as well as law enforcement agencies. On the opposing side is the American Beverage Institute, which opposes installation of the device for first time offenders. The ABI wants installation of the device only in case of repeat offenders.
In California, 1,029 people died in drunk driving accidents in 2008. That was a drop of more than 100 deaths from 2007 when the toll was 1,132 and 2006 when the toll was 1,272. The fatality rates in alcohol-related car accidents have been declining steadily over the past few years, and that is an encouraging sign. However, we still continue to lose more than 1,000 people every year in alcohol-related accidents. The statistics don’t have to be like this. Technology, that can prevent people convicted of DUI from getting back on the streets in an intoxicated state, does exist. It makes little sense that we are not prepared to use devices that can prevent repeat drunk driving.
Sure, the ignition interlock devices will be a financial strain on offenders who will have to pay to get the devices installed and monitored. If you want to avoid the costs of getting the device installed, we have one simple piece of advice – simply don’t drink and drive.
The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at trlglaw.com. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.
The Reeves Law Group is not acting as legal counsel for any party in the matters discussed in this posting.