Injury Collision in Ventura Involves Suspected Drunk Driver
A DUI collision in Santa Paula left 31-year-old Esther Bautista injured the afternoon of June 15, 2010. The Santa Paula Times reports that the collision occurred on Highway 126. Driver Efren Carbajal, 47, slammed into the back of Bautista's 1995 Mercury Villager minivan. The impact from the crash caused the minivan to veer off the road and overturn. Bautista was injured and taken to a local hospital, but her two children, who were in the minivan, were unharmed. Police booked Carbajal on suspicion of felony drunk driving.
My heart goes out to Bautista and her family. I'm relieved that her two young children were not injured. I wish Bautista the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Car Accident Statistics
There were two fatalities and 76 injuries involving car accidents in 2008, according to California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). In Ventura County, 63 people died and 3,785 were injured as a result of car accidents in 2008.
DUI Laws in California and Compensation Issues
It is illegal in California to driver with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher. California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a): "It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle." If Carbajal is determined to have been under the influence at the time, he could be held criminally and civilly liable for the injuries and damages caused in this accident.
In such cases, injured victims would be well-advised to contact an experienced Ventura personal injury lawyer, who will analyze all aspects of the car accident and ensure that the negligent parties are held accountable for their actions. In cases where the impaired driver has no insurance coverage, the injured victim may be able to secure compensation through the uninsured motorist clause in his or her insurance.
Should California require Ignition Interlock Devices (IIDs) for first-time DUI offenders? For more information about the dangers of drunk driving, please visit www.madd.org.
