LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA – According to data released by CHP for last year’s New Year’s Eve, unsafe speed is actually the leading cause of collisions on the holiday, not DUI, as many suspect.
We pulled data from California Highway Patrol’s SWITRS (Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System) for December 31st, 2022 and January 1st, 2023 to analyze car accidents over the holiday, including what causes them and when they are most frequent. This data covered collisions occurring on highways only.
KEY FINDINGS:
- Collisions that had a confirmed driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs accounted for just under 10% of all collisions on New Year’s Eve.
- Collisions that were a result of unsafe speed, however, accounted for nearly 40% of all collisions.
- A majority of accidents occurred during the late hours of New Year’s Eve, or the early hours of New Year’s Eve. 63% of crashes on New Year’s Eve happened after 12 pm, and on New Year’s Day, 30% of all collisions for the day occurred between midnight and 5 AM.
Source: CHP SWITRS
- Men accounted for 77% of the at-fault drivers in New Year’s Eve collisions.
Additionally, nearly 40% of all collisions on New Year’s Eve involve an injury. When it comes to vehicular crashes that occur as a result of a high rate of speed, these injuries can often be catastrophic, such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI), broken bones, paralysis, amputations, and more.
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Despite these findings, it is important to note that DUI is still a big factor in collisions on New Year’s Eve, and is the cause of dozens of collisions in Los Angeles County alone each year. If you plan on traveling by car on New Year’s Eve, consider avoiding the highways between the hours of 11 PM to 3 AM, when most crashes occur.
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