The memory of a teen killed by a drunk driver six years ago sparked a DUI checkpoint ran by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Rancho San Diego on Friday night according to details from CBS 8 News.  The teen’s life was ended by a driver who was already serving prior DUIs.

Drunk driving is one of the top causes of car accidents in the United States today.  According to statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), over 330,000 drivers on roads in California alone have three or more DUI charges on their records — over 80,000 have more than 5.  In San Diego County alone, two wrongful deaths are caused by a drunk driver each week.

Local teen remembered by DUI checkpoint held to prevent car accidents caused by drunk driving.

A DUI checkpoint was held in honor of a local teenager whose wrongful death was the result of getting hit by a drunk driver six years ago while coming home from a school function.

In October of 2004, the 14-year-old teen was walking home from a football game at Steel Canyon High School.  On his way home, a man previously charged with drunk driving hit the teen causing his wrongful death.  This has been a traumatic experience to his family who have missed him since.

“Every day we miss him the same as we did when we buried him,” said on motorist who was at the DUI checkpoint.  “A day will never go by that I don’t think of him.  I wish he was here.”

The checkpoint that was held on Friday June 25, 2010 took place a few miles away from where the drunk driving car accident occurred.  Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) passed out cards and fliers with the teen’s photo on it to convey the message that drunk driving has no prejudice based on age.

At the time of the auto accident, the driver in question had three other DUI’s on his record.  He is still in jail for the drunk driving car accident after getting a sentence of 15-years-to-life in prison.

Our car accident lawyers in San Diego know that later on this summer, the state of California will be doing a trial period to utilize ignition locks for drivers convicted of drunk driving.  A driver will have to breathe into a device to get the car to start.  If the experiment yields positive results, there is a possibility this will spread to all cities in California which will hopefully deter drivers from drinking and driving.

DUI car accidents have no age limit.  Anyone can suffer serious personal injury or die from a drunk driving car accident.  If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive.  Call a cab.  Call a friend.  Don’t be the one to have to call the parents of a young child because you caused their wrongful death.