CHP Traffic Data Shows Crashes Are Down 75%, DUI Arrests Down 42% Since March
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The pandemic is having a positive impact on California's highways. The California Highway Patrol says the number of crashes and DUIs have dropped significantly in the past two months.
The agency says the number of crashes is down 75% from March 19 through April 30, compared to the same time last year. There was also an 88% drop in the number of deaths on the road and a 62% decrease in the number of crash-related injuries.
The number of DUI arrests during March and April fell by nearly 42% from 7,224 in 2019 to 4,223 this year.
But, the CHP noted that some drivers are putting the pedal to the metal. There was a 46% jump in the number of citations for speeders going above 100 miles per hour.
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The CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley wrote in a press release Tuesday, "Resist the temptation to speed. Drivers are easier to spot when they are on a nearly empty roadway."
In April, UC Davis released a traffic study finding the reduced number of crashes is saving the state millions of dollars a day.
READ MORE: UC Davis Report Finds Crashes, Traffic Down By Half During Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order
According to the study, the reductions save the state an estimated $40 million per day, about $1 billion over the time period. Those costs include property damage, emergency responses, hospitalizations, and lost time at work.
