If your goal is to reduce the number of DUIs in an area, you can’t just catch people in the act. You have to also study where all the alcohol is coming from. Los Angeles County has released a report showing where the highest availability rates of alcohol are in the county and cross-checked them with alcohol-related statistics like DUI.
Santa Monica was shown to have one of the highest concentrations of alcohol sales in the county. Per 10,000 residents, there are 27.6 on-premises alcohol consumption locations and 7.4 off-site locations. It ranked 5th overall. The city with the highest concentration is West Hollywood. Other high-alcohol consumption areas include El Segundo, Beverly Hills, Hermosa Beach, Malibu, and Culver City. In total, 88 cities and 59 unincorporated communities were studied.
In addition to ranking cities by alcohol concentration, they also ranked violent crime, alcohol-related deaths, alcohol-related crashes, alcohol-related ER visits, hospitalizations, and deaths related to alcohol. Santa Monica ranked in the top third for vehicle crashes, hospitalizations, and ER visits. Only nine other areas studied ranked in the top third for all three of those categories.
The report doesn’t make recommendations but urges local city councils to take the data to make better decisions on how to regulate alcohol and control DUI in their areas.
It would be a better world if nobody drove drunk. But it does happen. Worse, some people are accused of it that shouldn’t be. Our legal system enshrines the principle that everyone is innocent until proven guilty and that they deserve adequate legal representation. If you have been accused of DUI, it’s time to take action. Call our Los Angeles DUI defense lawyers today for a free consultation. The sooner we can get to work on your case, the better your chances of a positive result.
