Nether Lockdown, Californians Consume More than Booze and Drive Differently: Orange County Residents Virtually Likely to be Penalized for a DUI

Nether Lockdown, Californians Consume More than Booze and Drive Differently: Orange County Residents Most Likely to be Penalized for a DUI

As many California residents shelter in place, state highways accept seen dramatic shifts in driving behavior. Traffic on some California interstates has declined as much as 65%. But even every bit fewer cars populate the route, more than people are getting arrested for speeding, and authorities are seeing more arrests for driving under the influence during the day time than would typically be expected. Equally a result, ValuePenguin analyzed DUI punishment trends across California counties.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) issued nearly 2,500 citations for speeding more than than 100 mph between March 19 and April 19, 2020. That represents an 87% increment from the aforementioned menstruation in 2019.

And although DUI arrests have declined in many California counties compared to the same period in 2019, the decline still doesn't match the lower volume of traffic, and arrest rates are higher than expected.

These concerns come at a time when California residents are increasing their alcohol consumption. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Bay Area residents are drinking 42% more alcohol than usual as California has eased its restrictions on booze sales. Customers tin can choice upwardly alcohol from restaurants and drive-through windows or get alcohol commitment. While there are restrictions on to-go containers, the risk of drinking and driving remains a concern.

Nosotros define penalization equally being found guilty of the violation, while nonpenalization is when a case is dismissed, the perpetrator is found not guilty or the court withholds adjudication. Convictions are divided by the total number of arrests to calculate a penalization charge per unit.

Being cited for a DUI doesn't guarantee a conviction. How much drivers pay for a penalisation, however, can vary profoundly depending on where they live, according to data from the California Section of Motor Vehicles.

ValuePenguin plant that the charge per unit at which drivers are convicted for their violation varies greatly by California canton, as high as 86% in Orange County and every bit low as 52% in Kings Canton.

Cardinal findings:

This image shows California counties by DUI penalization rate.

Table of contents

  • California counties that penalize DUIs at the highest and everyman rates
  • DUI felonies vs. misdemeanors
  • Reckless driving in California
  • California counties with the slowest and fastest adjudications, from violation to conviction
  • Consequences of DUI convictions

California counties that penalize DUI violations at the highest and lowest rates

In California, DUIs are convicted at the highest rate in Orangish, Merin and Ventura counties, the three of which have an average conviction rate of 84%. When it comes to which California counties are the near forgiving of DUI violations, there is a clear leader: Kings County at 52%. For DUIs, drivers in Kings County are penalized nearly 20% less than the California boilerplate.

Orangish County has the highest rate of DUI punishment

Across the state, California penalized 71% of drivers arrested for driving nether the influence. Simply by county, penalty rates varied from as low as 52% to equally high equally 86%.

Orange County had the highest charge per unit of DUI penalization in the land. Of 11,467 arrests, 84% were found guilty of a DUI misdemeanor and 2% were found guilty of a felony.

Rank

County

DUI penalization rate

1 Orange 85.9%
2 Marin 84.3%
3 Ventura 81.viii%
4 Sacramento 81.7%
5 Placer 81.0%
N/A California average 71.4%

Kings County has the everyman penalization rates for DUIs at 52%.

In Kings Canton, only 52% of those arrested for driving under the influence are bedevilled of a related crime.

Of the 944 arrests in Kings Canton for the most recent year data was available, 469 cases (52%) were plant guilty of a DUI misdemeanor or felony.

Drivers in some California counties are more likely to avoid a felony conviction than in others

Drivers in Lassen saw all DUI violations bedevilled only as misdemeanors. Lake, Shasta and Sacramento counties, however, saw the highest rates of DUI felony convictions, together approximately double the California average of 1.9%.

Counties with the lowest rates of DUI felony convictions

Rank

County

Rate

1 Lassen 0.0%
2 Alameda 0.half-dozen%
3 Yuba 0.7%
4 San Mateo 0.8%
5 Imperial 1.0%
N/A California average 1.9%

Counties with the highest rates of DUI felony convictions

Rank

County

Charge per unit

i Lake 4.2%
2 Shasta three.6%
3 Sacramanto iii.5%
4 Placer 3.5%
5 Siskiyou three.3%
Northward/A California boilerplate one.9%

Some counties opt for reckless driving convictions instead

Some counties, including Alameda, Colusa, Madera, Sutter and San Francisco counties, were more than probable to captive drivers for reckless driving rather than a DUI. These counties all saw reckless driving convictions in a higher place fifteen%.

Counties with the highest rates of reckless-driving convictions

Rank

Canton

Conviction rate

1 Alameda 18.2%
2 Colusa 17.2%
three Madera 16.viii%
4 Sutter 16.two%
5 San Francisco 15.iv%
N/A California average 9.half-dozen%

Meanwhile, no drivers in Ventura County saw reckless driving convictions. Marin, Orange and Sacramento counties besides had low rates of reckless-driving convictions. These counties were often more likely to convict drivers of a DUI offense. Kings County, which actually has the lowest DUI penalization rate in California, was also in the top five for lowest rates of reckless-driving convictions.

Counties with the everyman rates of reckless-driving convictions

Rank

County

Conviction rate

1 Ventura 4.two%
2 Marin 3.vi%
iii Orange 3.5%
4 Sacramento 3.five%
five Kings 3.3%
N/A California boilerplate i.9%

California counties vary drastically in average arbitrament fourth dimension

Madera County saw the longest average time from violation to confidence at 313 days, more than than twice the California boilerplate of 119 days. Monterey County, however, saw the speediest adjudications at a mere lx days, or half the California average.

Longest average time from violation to conviction

Rank

Canton

Average number of days

1 Madera 313
2 Imperial 295
3 Contra Costa 246
4 Merced 226
5 Kings 213
North/A California boilerplate 119

Shortest boilerplate time from violation to conviction

Rank

Canton

Average number of days

1 Monterey 60
2 Kern 61
three San Joaquin 63
4 San Luis Obispo 65
5 Santa Cruz 68
Due north/A California average 119

Consequences of driving under the influence

California drivers with a claret alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.08% or higher may face severe legal repercussions. These may include substantial fines, license suspension or revocation, jail fourth dimension, community service, and more. Additionally, motorists with a DUI conviction are ofttimes likely to pay substantially higher car insurance costs in California due to the increased take chances associated with their driving record.

Below, nosotros identify the legal ramifications of first, 2d, 3rd and fourth offenses for driving while intoxicated in California.

First offense

For the first DUI conviction, an offender may be required to

  • Pay fines of upwards to $3,600, though total costs can abound based on additional penalty fees.
  • Spend upward to six months in jail.
  • Give up their driver's license for at least four months.
  • Enroll in DUI schoolhouse for three months.
  • Enter a three- to 5-year DUI probation.

Second offense

For the 2d DUI conviction, an offender may be required to

  • Spend upwardly to one yr in jail.
  • Enroll in xviii to 30 months of DUI school.
  • Pay fines upwards to $iv,000.
  • Give up their driver's license for up to two years.
  • Install an ignition interlock device on their cars.
  • Enter a three- to v-year DUI probation.

Tertiary offense

For the third DUI conviction, an offender may be required to

  • Spend upwardly to one year in jail or up to xvi months in prison.
  • Pay fines up to $18,000.
  • Give up their commuter's license for up to 3 years.
  • Enroll in 30 months of DUI schoolhouse.
  • Install an ignition interlock device on their cars.
  • Enter a three- to five-year DUI probation.

Drivers with a DUI confidence will also likely exist required to acquit SR-22 insurance until the state restores driving privileges.

Methodology

DUI arrest and conviction data from 2006–2016 in California was nerveless from the California Section of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Counties were but included in the assay for a given violation if they had at least 100 convictions in the virtually contempo year for which information was available.

We define a "penalization" when the violation was categorized by the California DMV as a misdemeanor DUI, felony DUI or reckless-driving conviction. We ascertain "no penalisation"d when there was no tape of whatever confidence associated with the arrest.