“We want everyone to make the right decision on Super Bowl Sunday,” said Chris Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “Having a designated sober driver should be an obvious call in everyone’s playbook. Making sure designated sober drivers know how much we appreciate their responsible decision is what will make this year’s celebration extra special – and extra safe.”

If you are hosting a Super Bowl Party:
• Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers before kickoff or help arrange ridesharing with other sober drivers
• Serve plenty of food
• Offer a variety of non-alcoholic choices like non-alcohol beers, soft drinks, juice, and water
• Serve one drink at a time and serve measured drinks
• Determine ahead of time when you’ll stop serving alcohol, such as one hour before the end of the party or at the end of the third quarter of the game (just like NFL stadiums) and begin serving coffee and dessert

If you are attending a Super Bowl party or watching at a sports bar or restaurant:
• Designate a sober driver before the party begins.
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself—eat enough food, take breaks and alternate with non-alcoholic drinks.
• Take appropriate steps to prevent anyone from driving while impaired. Remember, “Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.”
• Always buckle up – it’s your best defense on the road

Enjoy the game. And always, if you have questions for our Orange County DUI Lawyers, contact me at (877) 568-2977.

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have learned that the city of Costa Mesa has received a state grant for DUI enforcement.  The grant activities will specifically target DUI offenders, Motorcycle Safety, drivers with suspended or revoked licenses, red light running, speeding, and seatbelt violations. This will be done through the use of DUI/driver’s license checkpoints, special enforcement operations, and court stings where DUI offenders with suspended or revoked licenses get behind the wheel after leaving court.

“Thanks to the dedicated hard work of agencies like the Costa Mesa Police Department, California has the fewest traffic fatalities since 1944,” said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy. “While this is good news, we know that only by keeping the pressure on through enforcement and public awareness can we hope to sustain these declines and save lives.”

DUI/Drivers License Checkpoints are a key component of the grant. These highly visible, widely publicized events are meant to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests, and law enforcement admits they are not effective at getting drunk drivers arrested.  If you have any questions for a DUI Specialist Orange County, call me anytime, at (877) 568-2977.

Related articles

• Orange County DUI Checkpoint: Irvine Conducts DUI Checkpoint for the Holidays (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoint locations: San Juan Capistrano (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI arrests are up (ocduiblog.com)

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DUI laws, being more of a political animal than a legal one, are something that California politicians tinker with each and every year, without fail.  This year, 2012, two measures signed into law alter DUI penalties in noteworthy ways.  Consider this our New Year’s Gift to you from our DUI lawyers Orange County.

AB 353 prohibits law enforcement from impouding a vehicle at a sobriety checkpoint if the driver’s only offense is not having a valid driver’se license.  Police must also make a reasonable attempt to identify the registered owner of the vehicle in order to release the vehicle to the registered owner or to a licensed driver authorized by the registered owner.

AB 520 allows a person convicted of alcohol related reckless driving (known as a “wet reckless”) to apply for a restricted license early if he or she complies with specified requirements, including the installation of an ignition interlock device.  If you have questions for a DUI lawyer Newport Beach, call me at (949) 682-5316.

Related articles

• Orange County DUI Checkpoint: Irvine Conducts DUI Checkpoint for the Holidays (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoint locations: San Juan Capistrano (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoint Locations: Costa Mesa (ocduiblog.com)
• Huntington Beach DUI checkpoints “not mean to increase arrests” (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Crackdown results in 255 arrests in one week (ocduiblog.com)

Our DUI Lawyers Orange Countyhave learned, through a press release sent to us from the Huntington Beach Police Department, that the PD believes that, even though they have a grant for DUI checkpoints, that they will not increase arrests.  As they state, “DUI/Drivers License Checkpoints are a key component of the grant. These highly visible, widely publicized events are meant to deter impaired driving, not to increase arrests.”

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Related articles

• Orange County DUI Checkpoints: Huntington Beach, Westminster, Anaheim, Buena Park, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach. (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI arrests up this New Year’s Eve (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoints: New Year’s Eve edition (ocduiblog.com)

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have learned of significant law enforcement activity geared towards obtaining the maximum number of DUI arrests before the year is out.  Even though drunken driving caused-deaths have dropped to a record low, authorities are out in full force this holiday season and have so far made nearly 600 DUI arrests, mainly due to roving patrols and numerous checkpoints.  Orange County DUI enforcement agencies have arrested more than 580 people on suspicion of driving under the influence from Dec. 16-28, according to the anti-DUI campaign known as “Avoid”.

The multiagency crackdown involves the California Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and police departments and lasts through Jan. 2.

During the 17-day holiday enforcement period last year, 743 people were arrested for driving under the influence, according to the “Avoid” database.

Numerous patrols and checkpoints are scheduled across the county this weekend in Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Westminster, Anaheim, Buena Park and Placentia.

This push against alcohol-imp

State-by-state data for 2010 released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows a decline in drunken driving fatalities in 32 states. Compared with 2009, California and Florida saw the largest reductions — with each declining by more than 100 fatalities last year.

In California, the number of DUI deaths dropped to a record low of 791 last year, compared to 950 in 2009, said the California Office of Traffic Safety.

According to the Office of Traffic Safety, figures from the NHTSA show that statewide DUI deaths increased yearly from 1998 to 2005, but have decreased every year since 2005.

In Orange County, DUI deaths have consistently dropped between 2006 and 2010, NHTSA figures show. Last year, there were 36 reported DUI deaths in Orange County, compared to 44 in 2009.

“This marks a huge milestone in the fight against drunk driving,” said Christopher J. Murphy, director with the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Last year, the traffic safety office has allocated $16.8 million in federal funds to law enforcement agencies to conduct 2,553 DUI checkpoints, up from the $11.7 million provided for 1,740 checkpoints in 2009.

Free rides

To alleviate the dangers of drunken driving, agencies are offering free services for end-of-the year celebrations.

The Orange County Transportation Authority is providing free bus rides between 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and 2:30 a.m. Jan. 1.

“We encourage those out celebrating New Year’s Eve in Orange County to leave behind their cars and enjoy a free ride on the bus,” said OCTA Chair Patricia Bates, also the 5th District Supervisor. “Knowing that an OCTA bus is there to get residents home safely is something that can give everyone peace of mind this holiday season.”

Last year, there were 15,540 free New Year’s Eve boardings, OCTA officials said. Since the program began in 2002, more than 102,000 boardings have been counted.

The Automobile Club is offering its free Tipsy Tow service from 6 p.m. Dec. 30 to 6 a.m. Jan. 1, to help remove drinking drivers from the road. The service is available in the 13 Southern California counties served by the Auto Club.

To use the service, motorists can call 800-400-4AAA for a free tow home of up to seven miles. For rides farther than seven miles, drivers can expect to pay the rate charged by the tow-truck driver.

For more information on the OCTA New Year’s Eve service and to check bus routes and schedules, visit octa.net or call 714-636-7433.

Related articles

• Orange County DUI Checkpoint Locations October 7, 2011 (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoint Locations: Mission Viejo tomorrow (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoint Locations: Costa Mesa (ocduiblog.com)

Westminster is one of at least 14 Orange County police departments that have a program requiring drunk drivers involved in a collision to pay for costs relating to emergency services as well as salaries of emergency personnel, according to a staff report. Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Los Alamitos have similar programs.

The proposed addition says that intoxicated drivers can be billed for all costs incurred by the city in responding to the incident. This includes salaries of the police and fire personnel, cost of equipment on scene, the cost of repairing or replacing equipment damaged at the scene, medical assistance, cost of investigations including conducting field sobriety tests and costs related to time spent transporting and booking the suspect, conducting chemical tests and writing reports.

Under the law, an intoxicated driver who causes an accident could face a bill as high as $12,000, according to the staff report. The ordinance also provides for an appeal process.

Police officials have said the current cost of a DUI arrest, including vehicle storage fees, license suspension, insurance rate increases, fines, DUI classes and other expenses, can add up to more than $10,000.  If you have questions for a DUI Specialist Orange County, call me, Robert Miller, at (877) 568-2977, anytime.

Related articles

• Orange County DUI Checkpoint Locations: Buena Park and westminster (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Arrests go up (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoints: Santa Ana (ocduiblog.com)

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DUI Arrests in Orange County went up slightly this holiday season. From the 10 day period Dec. 16 to Dec. 25, authorities reported 476 DUI arrests in O.C. cities. There were no fatal DUI traffic collisions during that period.

The statistics were provided by the anti-DUI campaign, known as “Avoid” – involving the California Highway Patrol, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and police departments – which lasts through Jan. 2.

From Dec.17-25 last year, 408 people were arrested for driving under the influence, according to the “Avoid” database.

Throughout the winter holiday anti-DUI campaign, authorities have conducted multiple checkpoints and roving patrols.

To alleviate the dangers of drunken driving, a couple of agencies are offering free services for the end of the year celebrations.

The Orange County Transportation Authority is offering free bus rides between 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and 2:30 a.m. Jan. 1. ACCESS service is not part of this promotion.

The Automobile Club is offering its free Tipsy Tow service from 6 p.m. Dec. 30 to 6 a.m. Jan. 1, to help remove drinking drivers from the road. The service is available in the 13 Southern California counties served by the Auto Club.

To use the service, motorists can call 800-400-4AAA for a free tow home of up to seven miles.

Have questions about DUI in Orange County?  Call me at (877) 568-2977.

Related articles

• Orange County DUI Checkpoint Locations October 7, 2011 (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Crackdown results in 255 arrests in one week (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI arrests sure to rise with DUI task forces (ocduiblog.com)

Image by FrogMiller via Flickr

Our Newport Beach DUI Lawyers have learned that the Orange County Sheriff’s Department “Avoid the 12″ DUI Task Force will be conducting DUI-roving patrols in the Cities of San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point and San Clemente on Friday, October 7, 2011.

These Multi-City DUI teams will target areas that have a high incidence of DUI related arrests and collisions.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For questions about Orange County DUI cases, contact DUI Lawyer Robert Miller at (949) 682-5316.

Related articles

• Orange County DUI Checkpoint locations: San Juan Capistrano (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Crackdown results in 255 arrests in one week (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoints – Newport Beach (ocduiblog.com)
• Orange County DUI Checkpoint Locations August 26-27 2011 (ocduiblog.com)
• Costa Mesa Police release some, but not all, DUI statistics (ocduiblog.com)

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Our Orange County DUI Lawyers received the following as a portion of a press release from the Costa Mesa Police Department:

At the beginning of the 2011 Federal Fiscal Year, Costa Mesa Police Department was awarded a $364,000 Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant, aimed at reducing the number of persons killed and injured in crashes involving alcohol, drugs, distractions, speed and red light violations. The current grant ends at the end of this month and preliminary results are promising. The Traffic Safety Bureau conducted 20 DUI/Drivers license checkpoints with 24,927 vehicles going through the checkpoints and 13,168 drivers being screened.

The press release goes on to talk about the drop in the number of speed related and red light collisions (perhaps related to Costa Mesa’s decision to take down the red light camera system in the city), but neglects to point out the low arrest rate for DUI cases from checkpoints in the city (sometimes as low as 0-1%), or the substantial fees raised from vehicle impounds not related to DUI.

If you have questions for a DUI specialist Orange County, call me, anytime, at (877) 568-2977.

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