Placer County seems to crack down harder on drunk drivers, at least according to a report by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. According to the report, the conviction rate for DUI in Placer County is 99.2%. The report compares data relating to DUI arrests throughout the state right up to the end of 2007. Across the state, the conviction rate was an average of 79.4%.
Placer County’s record on drunk drivers has been remarkable. Over the last two decades alone, prosecutors have charged at least 7 drunk driving defendants with second-degree murder. In 2008, police in Roseville arrested 978 suspected drunk drivers. The Police Department has assigned 2 officers exclusively for cracking down on drunk drivers. There have also been other factors that have made it easier for the DA’s office to prosecute drunk drivers. Law enforcement agencies in Placer County work together with the DA’s office in a combined effort to strengthen the cases that come up for prosecution. This means that intoxicated motorist who endanger the lives of other motorists on the road are less likely to get away scot-free. During holidays, Placer County officers are especially visible, patrolling the roads and manning checkpoints to make sure drunk drivers are kept off the roads. All these efforts have meant that Placer County has had a DUI conviction rate that has been more than 90% for the fourth year in the row.
Placer County’s record is an example of how County authorities can work together to put drunk drivers behind bars and prevent them from being out on the streets where they can cause accidents. Far too often, we have seen intoxicated motorists get away with a slap on the wrist when they are arrested after drunk driving. Such light punishment only serves to ensure that the motorist feels confident enough to repeat the DUI offense again. According to studies, a drunk driver can actually drive in an inebriated state several dozens of times before he or she actually gets arrested for drunk driving. These statistics continue to hold good even though law enforcement agencies around the country seem to have stepped up crackdowns on drunk driving. Going easy on a drunk driver for the first offence only ensures that they will commit the same offense with possibly even more serious consequences.
California is one of several states that takes a serious view of drunk driving. The California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies frequently conduct awareness programs to educate drivers about the dangers of drunk driving. Several counties in recent months have received grants to support the enforcement of anti-drunk driving programs. These efforts have led to a steady drop in drunk driving accident rates, including the number of injuries and fatalities caused in the accidents. Even so, far too many people including disturbingly enough, a growing enough female drivers, cause deadly alcohol-related car accidents every day, many of these resulting in serious injuries and even fatalities.
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.
By: Gerri L. Elder
Guy Ritchie has officially joined the ranks of many: He and Madonna are now history, and reportedly, he is ready to party.
According to The Evening Standard, Ritchie took his divorce lawyer, Helen Ward, out to dinner to celebrate the end of his marriage to the pop star. The divorce was finalized in London on March 27 and approved by a divorce court in the U.S. as well.
Madonna has moved to New York, where the couple’s two children will live with her. Ritchie will have a regular child visitation schedule.
Ritchie snagged the former couple’s country estate in Wiltshire and a reported $24 to $31 million fortune in the divorce settlement. There was little drama in the negotiations while the couple settled up privately.
As Ritchie celebrated, Madonna reportedly returned to Malawi to adopt another child. She has applied to adopt 4-year old Mercy James, who she hopes to bring back to the U.S. shortly.
