Guest Post Columnist: Christopher J McCann an Orange County criminal defense DUI lawyer
Drunk driving is a situation where one is found driving while inebriated. Unfortunately, this is a very common situation in California. Statistics show that DUI can be responsible for about 41% of all the traffic related deaths. The state of California has put in place very strict rules that are meant to curb this vice. This explains why there are around 200,000 DUI arrests every year in this state. The law prohibits all drivers against having a blood alcohol level of more than 0.08%.
When one is charged with DUI, he answerable to counts which are driving while impaired by alcohol (Vehicle Code section 23152(a) count) and also driving when BAC is above 0.08% (23152(b)) According to records from California highway patrol department in 2008, 204,115 people were arrested for drunk driving. Further DUI statistics shows that there were 2,156 DUI related accidents where 1395 perished from these accidents. In 2008, the number of accidents reduced slightly and also the number of people who perished reduced to 1,198 people. This trend has been followed for the years between 2008 and 2011 from the DUI statistic source dmv.ca.gov
It is important to note that strict measures have been put in place to deal with DUI offenders. Depending on the intensity of the charges, the offender can be jailed for a period ranging from 120 days up to 2 years. One may also be forced to go for alcohol rehabilitation classes alongside going for community service. Alcohol rehabilitation classes vary in length ranging from 15 weeks to 18 months depending on the seriousness of one’s crimes.
The analysis of drunk driving statistics in California shows that since the introduction of BAC level of 0.08%, the number of traffic accidents have reduced remarkably at the rate of 45%. The number of deaths resulting from motor accidents has also decreased by around 50%. This is a reliable proof that monetary fines, jail terms as well as alcohol rehabilitation classes have been effective in reducing the number of lost lives as well as damage to property. However you can still be falsely arrested for a crime that you did not commit because of poor police officer field sobriety tests or equipment.
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