Southern California Accident News

California: Alcohol-Related Traffic Fatalities Decline

Alcohol-related traffic fatalities have reached a record low in Orange County and throughout California, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Whereas the incidence of DUI deaths rose steadily from 1998 to 2005, it has decreased annually over the past 6 years. Compared to 2009, when there were 950 fatalities, 791 people died in accidents in which alcohol was a contributing factor in 2010, explains an auto accident attorney in Orange County, where fatalities declined from 44 in 2009 to 36 in 2010, reported the Orange County Register. 

Over the years, state and local traffic agencies have received increased funding to conduct DUI checkpoints and other enforcement efforts. Holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, mark periods of maximum enforcement throughout the state. Last year, during its “AVOID the 38” Winter DUI Campaign, which spanned from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, December 17^th to midnight on Sunday, January 2^nd, Orange County law enforcement agencies arrested 743 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. 

While celebrating the holidays with family and friends this winter, make sure to designate a sober driver and report intoxicated ones you encounter on the roads.

Additional information, such as articles on transportation safety, auto accidents, and the injury claims process, is available to the public free of charge.

To request one of these free resources, or to speak with an auto accident attorney in Orange County, feel free to call 866-981-5596. 

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