According to the Statewide Traffic Records System, 217,000 driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) arrests were made, but 790 people were killed in drunk-driving accidents on California roads in 2008.

Did all of these individuals who were arrest for being intoxicated behind the wheel show up to court?  No.

The solution?  A statewide crack down on all individuals in California who have outstanding drunk-driving arrest warrants in their name, yet have failed to show up for their court date.

Our firm’s San Diego car accident lawyers are concerned about one of California’s biggest problems on the road: drinking and driving.  It leads to numerous wrongful deaths each and every and needs to be stopped — not some time in the future, but now.  That is what this crack down is all about, to make sure teen drivers, adult drivers, and elderly drivers who have all been arrested for DUI show up in court.

“The people who are wanted made the poor choice to drink and drive and were arrested for DUI,” California Highway Patrol (CHP) Commissioner Joe Farrow said a statement.  “Afterward, they ignored court orders, failing to appear and refusing to pay the imposed fine and address other court sanctions.”

A federal grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety of $311,568 has been awarded to the CHP and dubbed the “DUI Warrant Service Project.”  From the beginning of March to the end of September, 2010, over 6,000 warrants are expected to be served up and down the Golden State, including here in San Diego.

But this isn’t only an effort in enforcing the law, it is set an example for all other reckless drivers out on the road that you cannot get away with a drunk-driving arrest and that DUI accidents can and should be prevented.  Farrow added that those California residents with outstanding warrants can turn themselves in on their own terms or leave it to CHP to bring them in, possibly at their home or during work.

For the car accident lawyers at our San Diego office, this is something that should be happening all the time.  This grant should be a continuous fund that allows police officers and highway patrolmen to not only actively catch violators on the road who drink and drive, but making sure they show up to court.  There should be technology that prevents them from start their cars until after they have pleaded their case to a judge and even them, mandatory driver safety education should be implemented.

If you ask us, this outstanding DUI warrant enforcement sweep shouldn’t just be a few months, it should be done all the time.

If you or a loved one have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, then we urge you to contact our bilingual offices as soon as possible at 1-858-551-2090 or please click here for a FREE consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in San Diego.  We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you owe us nothing until we recover money on your behalf