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Laguna Beach’s 11-mile Coast Highway is known worldwide for its postcard-perfect views and gateway to the city’s diverse arts and retail scene.
However, this is also ground zero for drunk drivers.
Officials say Laguna Beach has had the highest number of drunk-driving arrests per capita of any city of its size in California for at least 20 years, in part because of the large number of tourists and day-trippers driving around. This is because it attracts tourists who visit the area. Although Laguna Beach’s population is only about 22,000, Laguna Beach receives about 6.5 million visitors annually.
In response, Laguna Beach has embarked on a new enforcement program that, if successful, could serve as a model for other communities.
When a suspected drunk driver is arrested in the city, police send a letter to the establishment where the person last drank alcohol. It is hoped that this information will help owners and employees recognize possible patterns, such as when patrons leave because they are too intoxicated, or trigger retraining of staff on the signs of intoxication. I am. The letter does not list the driver’s name, but does list his blood alcohol level and the date, time and location of his arrest.
Officials say this complements other efforts to prevent drunk driving, such as checkpoints and efforts to educate users about the dangers of drunk driving. Still, police made hundreds of drunk driving arrests each year.
“The data shows that this is a problem that we need to address, and I think this is a really very innovative, collaborative and data-driven way to do it,” Mayor Alex Lonaghi said. “Whenever we can save lives and prevent future deaths, it’s important to do it.”
Officials hope the notification system will increase dealer awareness and make them more aware when customers have had too much to drink.
“It’s not punitive because business owners don’t know what they don’t know,” Laguna Beach Police Chief Jeff Calvert said. “So this is also an opportunity to see if there is a pattern of overserving by certain bartenders and to provide additional education to not only bartenders but also security staff.”
The surge in drunk drivers is a persistent problem in the state’s beach communities, where tourists and residents often visit to dine at upscale restaurants and local bars just steps from the sand.
The city of Huntington Beach was so fed up with its drunk driving problem that in 2010 it considered publicly shaming those arrested by posting their names on Facebook.
In 2020, a woman was sentenced to 51 years to life in state prison for a drunk driving crash that killed three teenagers and seriously injured a fourth in Las Vegas two years ago.
In the early morning hours of March 29, 2018, the teens were visiting Huntington Beach for spring break when their Toyota Corolla stopped at a red light at Pacific Coast Highway and Magnolia Street. As he was doing so, he was rear-ended by a Hyundai Sonata. The Toyota was pushed into a utility pole and a fire broke out. Authorities testified that the driver of the Hyundai, Bani Duarte, had a blood alcohol level of 0.28%, more than three times the legal limit.
Laguna Beach Police Department pictured on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.
(Andrew Turner)
In Laguna Beach, residents have complained for years about noise and quality-of-life issues caused by late-night visitors to the city’s watering holes. Police say the city’s location between two other beach cities with strong nightlife and its concentration of more than 130 establishments make it a prime location for drunk driving arrests. .
Sometimes drivers are drinking on the street. He has also been photographed taking picturesque drives along the Coast Highway, which connects Laguna Beach to other cities.
Calvert said the police department sent 75 letters to restaurants, bars and hotels in the city and elsewhere in Orange County between January and Dec. 26.
A letter sent to Dana Point establishments and obtained by the Times states that businesses “must monitor patrons’ alcohol consumption and be careful not to over-serve individuals who show signs of intoxication.” ” explained the Liquor Control Bureau’s regulations.
“We encourage your establishment to review and strengthen its alcohol service policies and practices to prevent similar incidents in the future and protect public safety,” the letter reads.
Ivan Spiers, who owns several Laguna Beach restaurants including Mozambique and Skyloft, said the letter won’t solve the problem of drunk drivers.
“It’s bureaucracy and a waste of money and time,” he said.
Bartenders are trained to evaluate patrons, but when the bar is busy, one person often buys drinks for the entire group. “It’s very difficult to control,” he said.
But city officials and residents say something new is needed to reduce drunk driving.
Most arrests in Laguna Beach are for drug or alcohol use, according to crime statistics provided by the police department. In 2022, the top three causes of arrest in the city were drunk driving, drugs, and disorderly conduct.
Laguna Beach police made 269 DUI arrests in 2021, up from 247 the year before, according to the latest data available from the California Department of Traffic Safety.
In 2020, there were 42 alcohol-related accidents in the city. There were 50 and 55 alcohol-related accidents in 2021 and 2022, respectively, according to city data.
Laguna Beach isn’t alone in dealing with drunk driving. Orange County had more than 11,100 DUI arrests in 2019, according to the latest data available from the Department of Transportation.
Drunk driving deaths fell to 966 in California in 2019, but spiked across the state during the pandemic.
In 2020, there were 1,180 fatal drunk driving accidents in California. A year later, that jumped to 1,370. Meanwhile, the number of drunk driving arrests in the state decreased from 124,141 in 2019 to just under 96,000 in 2020, according to the California Department of Traffic Safety’s 2023 report.
Heidi Miller, who owns multiple businesses in Laguna Beach, including a clothing store and newsstand, praised the city’s efforts to keep track of drunk driving cases.
Miller has seen the aftermath of several accidents downtown, including one last year in which a driver crossed Pacific Coast Highway and crashed onto the Main Beach boardwalk. The person was later arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, the Daily Pilot reported.
“People joke that California is the epicenter of DUI arrests, but to me that’s not that bad. It means our police department is doing a good job of getting things done,” she said. said. “We’re not only looking out for our residents, but also the people passing through town.”
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