Crashes and DUIs in California down, speeding tickets up

May 20, 2020

The California Highway Patrol has released data indicating, amid the statewide shelter-in-place order, collisions and DUI arrests declined significantly, while citations for speeding in excess of 100 mph increased by nearly 50 percent.

With declining traffic volume, the number of car crashes and DUI arrests decreased statewide, according to the CHP. Preliminary data suggests there was a 75 percent decrease in the number of crashes in California between March 19 and April 30, compared to the same period in 2019.

Over the same period, there was an 88 percent reduction in deaths and 62 percent decrease in the number of people injured in collisions. The number of collisions involving trucks dropped by 60 percent, while fatal crashes involving trucks declined by 88 percent, according to the CHP.

During March and April, DUI arrests declined by nearly 42 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

However, between March 19 and April 30, CHP officers issued 2,738 citations for speeding in which drivers exceeded 100 mph, a 46 percent increase from the same period last year.

“Resist the temptation to speed. Drivers are easier to spot when they are on a nearly empty roadway,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said in a statement. “Remember, taking care of one another goes beyond wearing a face covering and social distancing. As communities in California move into the next phases of reopening, continue to slow down, pay attention to the road, drive sober and keep yourself and those around you from becoming a grim statistic.”