Highway Accident Statistics For 2008 Show Decrease in Deaths
January 10, 2009
According to reports by the California Highway Patrol while highway accidents have risen the amount of deaths have decreased in the State of California.
According to Officer Gary Fernandez of the California Highway Patrol’s information office the California Highway Patrol investigated 1,119 accidents during 2008, which amounted to an 8 percent increase over the amount 1,036 accidents investigated in 2007. Fernandez also stated the amount of accidents while driving under the influence rose in 2008 over the amount in 2007. During 2008 the California Highway Patrol investigated 127 accidents where drivers were suspected of driving under the influence, which equals approximately 11.2 percent. In 2007 of the 1,036 accidents investigated there were 113 accidents involving alleged driving under the influence or approximately 10.9 percent.
During 2008 there were fewer mountain accidents involving fatalities which the California Highway patrol contributes to their slow down campaign. Even with the fewer fatalities on mountain roads the amount of motorcycle fatalities, both in 2007 with 19 motorcycle fatalities on mountain highways and 10 fatalities during 2008 according to the statistics.
According to Officer Fernandez the California Highway Patrol believes one of the reasons for the decrease in fatal accidents during 2008 is their number of arrests for drivers allegedly driving under the influence. During 2008 there was a 16 percent raise in arrests for suspected drivers under the influence with 364 arrests of drivers with a .08 or higher blood alcohol level. In the year 2007 there were 307 similar arrests made by the California Highway Patrol. The arrests made during the period from Christmas through New Years were higher in 2008 as compared to 2007. This means car accident lawyers in Los Angeles are unable to stay as busy as before.