Drunk Driving Fatality Statistics in California

Drunk Driving Fatality Statistics

Driving under the influence of alcohol is irresponsible behavior that contributes to thousands of accidents throughout California every year. In addition, many drunk driving accidents are caused by repeat offenders who continue to behave recklessly despite known risks.

If you were injured in a California drunk driving accident, you have the right to demand compensation for your losses. The dedicated attorneys of the Law Offices of Pius Joseph – Personal Injury Attorney can help. Contact us today to learn more in a free initial case review.

 

How Prevalent Is Drinking and Driving in California?

Despite numerous laws and safety campaigns targeting driving under the influence, DUIs are still one of the most common criminal traffic offenses in California. According to the Annual Report of the California DUI Management Information System:

  • There were 118,604 misdemeanor DUI arrests and 4,944 felony DUI arrests in California in one recent year, for a total of 123,548 DUI arrests annually.
  • There were 458 drivers arrested for DUI out of every 100,000 drivers in California that year.
  • In California, the conviction rate for DUI charges averages more than 70 percent, with tens of thousands of successful DUI convictions occurring each year.
  • Among all individuals arrested on suspicion of DUI in California in one recent year, the median age was 31. In fact, 72.7 percent of those arrested for DUI were 40 or younger.
  • Just 0.4 percent of all DUI arrests in California involved juvenile drivers under the age of 18. Meanwhile, 4.2 percent of California DUI arrests involved drivers who were older than 60.
  • Among those convicted of DUI charges in California in one recent year, 73 percent were first-time offenders, and 27 percent were repeat offenders with one or more prior convictions from the past 10 years.

California Drunk Driving Statistics

Drunk driving has serious consequences that can follow victims and their families for the rest of their lives. Drunk driving statistics from Responsibility.org and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) shed light on the devastation caused by DUI accidents in California:

  • There were 1,069 fatalities from drunk driving crashes in California in one recent year, more than 10 percent of the nationwide total.
  • 30 percent of all traffic fatalities in California throughout one recent year were the result of alcohol-impaired driving accidents.
  • There were 113 drunk driving fatalities among drivers under the age of 21 in California. These 113 deaths represented more than 11 percent of the nationwide total and 28.8 percent of all fatalities among drivers under 21 in California that year.
  • There were 2.7 fatalities associated with alcohol-related traffic crashes for every 100,000 Californians in one recent year.
  • Among alcohol-related accidents involving drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeding 0.15, the fatality rate was 69.8 percent. In fact, 77.9 percent of drivers with a BAC exceeding 0.15 who were involved in fatal DUI crashes were repeat offenders.

Drinking and driving is also a persistent issue across the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

  • Approximately 29 people die every day in drunk driving accidents across the U.S., equivalent to one death every 50 minutes.
  • Although the legal limit for alcohol consumption among drivers in the U.S. is 0.08 g/dL, there were still 1,775 people who were killed in crashes involving drivers with a BAC between 0.01 and 0.07 in one recent year.
  • Approximately 17 percent of all traffic fatalities among children under the age of 15 in one recent year involved a driver who was alcohol-impaired.
  • Alcohol-related traffic accidents cost our economy more than $44 billion each year.

What to Do If You Were Injured by a Drunk Driver

If you were injured in a California drunk driving accident, you might be feeling uncertain and overwhelmed. However, it’s important to maintain focus and do everything you can to protect yourself. You can safeguard your physical health, your legal rights, and your ability to recover financially by:

  • Seeking immediate medical attention for your injuries. With a prompt medical exam, you can ensure that you receive the treatment you need and that your condition is documented in your medical records.
  • Following through on your doctor’s orders. This includes taking the medications prescribed, avoiding certain activities, and attending follow-up appointments. By doing so, you give yourself the best shot at maximizing your recovery and demonstrate to the insurance companies that you are taking your health seriously.
  • Saving all evidence from the accident. This includes things like photos or video footage of the accident scene, contact details for eyewitnesses, and your own written recollections of what occurred.
  • Keeping track of your medical records, bills, pay stubs, and other documents that prove the nature of your injury and the financial effects it has caused.
  • Avoiding social media posts or sharing accident details with anyone other than your attorney until your claim is finalized.
  • Working with a knowledgeable California drunk driving accident attorney to demand the full compensation you need to recover.

Call the Legal Team at the Law Offices of Pius Joseph ─  Car Accident Attorney

If you were hit by a drunk driver in California, you shouldn’t be on the hook for the damages you suffered. Contact the Law Offices of Pius Joseph – Personal Injury Attorney in California to learn more about your right to financial recovery in a free, confidential case review. We do not charge any fees upfront to work on your claim. You only pay us if we recover payment for you.