In the past, raves were popular events where teenagers and young twenty-somethings went to party, dance, and listen to a particular type of music. Of course, there were drugs and alcohol involved. With that came DUI arrests and accidental deaths.
In Los Angeles, the popularity of rave-like music festivals has led to the development of a task force dedicated to such events. The task force is made up of law enforcement, fire, and public health officials. This past September, they were asked to meet in response to the deaths of two attendees of the Hard Summer Music Festival, which occurred in August.
At the time, it was thought that a ban on such festivals could have been a recommendation. Instead, the task force put forth 55 other recommendations.
The Hard Summer Music Festival has had 4 deaths in three years. This year’s festival saw some 65,000 attendees with about 28 people being hospitalized. Most of these hospitalizations were due to drug-related causes.
Some of the recommended changes would be a minimum age of 18 for all attendees, more access to water, and 4 police officers per 1,000 attendees. Another recommendation that would likely need to be enforced is the cessation of serving alcohol 1 hour before the last song and providing a space for attendees to sober up before driving.
Along with these recommendations, drug-sniffing dogs and searches both inside and prior to entering the venue also made the list. The list will need to be deemed enforceable before going into practice.
Authorities also blame deaths and overdoses on a lack of education on the drug ecstasy.
If you or someone you know has been charged with a DUI, contact our attorneys as soon as possible. Our attorneys specialize in DUI defense and will work towards the best outcome possible. Contact us today.