More Than 1,000 People Die In Riverside County DUI Crashes Each Year

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA ? Law enforcement agencies across Riverside County are out in full force this New Year's weekend looking for drunken and drug-impaired motorists as the region continues to grapple with more than 1,000 DUI crash deaths annually.

In 2021, Riverside County had 1,413 traffic fatalities involving impaired drivers, according to the Murrieta Police Department.

It's an uptick over previous years for which data is available. In 2019, there were 1,148 crash fatalities involving DUI motorists in Riverside County, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The DMV reports its figures were gleaned from California Highway Patrol data files and included only cases where the driver record was found in DMV records.

The DMV's 2018 data show 1,065 DUI-related crash fatalities in Riverside County, and 1,166 deaths in 2017.

"Please don?t end up being one of those statistics," Murrieta police implored. "If you plan to party this weekend, please plan ahead for a designated driver."

Every year, the county's law enforcement agencies ramp up during the New Year holiday, hoping to prevent DUI fatalities. Alcohol, narcotics, prescription and over-the-counter medications, or any combination, contribute to impaired driving.

The CHP is one of many law enforcement agencies out in force this weekend. It is conducting its New Year's "maximum enforcement period" beginning at 6:01 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29. The campaign will continue through late Monday night.

Officers from the Riverside, Blythe, Indio, San Gorgonio Pass and Temecula CHP stations will be on Inland Empire freeways, highways and unincorporated roads, looking to snare suspects.

"Our personnel work through the holidays to help ensure people arrive safely at their destinations," CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. "The goal is to maintain a safe environment on California's roads, which is achievable when all motorists make responsible decisions behind the wheel."

The CHP's 2022-23 New Year's crackdown netted 570 arrests statewide, compared to 495 arrests during the 2021-22 campaign, according to the CHP.