Conviction rate tops 84 percent
Roseville, Calif.- If you're caught drinking and driving in Placer County, be prepared to pay a heavy price. Motorists are more likely to be convicted of a DUI (84%) than any other county in the state. Sacramento ranks 4th at 80.9%. The statewide average is 68.9%.
According to the California DMV, Placer County remains the toughest county in the state when in comes to DUI conviction rates. For many years, the conviction rates in Placer County have consistently ranked tops in the state.
Accountability
An aggressive approach by prosecutors and local law enforcement help make sure that those who get caught drinking and driving are held to account. Back in 2009, Placer County boasted a conviction rate that topped a staggering 99 percent. Although that conviction rate has since dropped off to 84%, it remains the highest statewide. San Francisco County which has been plagued by lack of criminal accountability issues, shows a DUI conviction rate of just 28.9%.
The median adjudication (violation to conviction) of DUI cases is 106 days, slightly above the statewide average. Roseville recorded a median DUI adjudication of 58 days. Check out the the charts below to see where your county ranks.
California DUI conviction rates by county
| COUNTY | DUI Conviction Rate |
|---|---|
| PLACER | 84.80% |
| VENTURA | 83.80% |
| CALAVERAS | 81.00% |
| SACRAMENTO | 80.90% |
| INYO | 80.60% |
| SONOMA | 79.60% |
| NAPA | 79.10% |
| KINGS | 78.90% |
| MENDOCINO | 78.90% |
| PLUMAS | 78.10% |
| ORANGE | 78.00% |
| AMADOR | 77.70% |
| SHASTA | 77.60% |
| TUOLUMNE | 77.00% |
| SUTTER | 76.70% |
| SAN DIEGO | 75.80% |
| MONTEREY | 75.00% |
| RIVERSIDE | 75.00% |
| TULARE | 75.00% |
| SAN BENITO | 74.60% |
| BUTTE | 74.20% |
| SAN JOAQUIN | 74.00% |
| SANTA BARBARA | 74.00% |
| MARIN | 73.40% |
| STANISLAUS | 73.10% |
| EL DORADO | 72.90% |
| SAN LUIS OBISPO | 72.90% |
| YOLO | 72.90% |
| NEVADA | 72.60% |
| MODOC | 72.10% |
| COLUSA | 69.40% |
| KERN | 69.30% |
| SANTA CRUZ | 69.00% |
| LOS ANGELES | 67.20% |
| SAN MATEO | 64.70% |
| YUBA | 64.60% |
| MARIPOSA | 64.50% |
| SAN BERNARDINO | 64.50% |
| MERCED | 64.10% |
| FRESNO | 64.00% |
| SISKIYOU | 63.70% |
| SANTA CLARA | 63.40% |
| TEHAMA | 62.80% |
| GLENN | 62.40% |
| MONO | 62.40% |
| LAKE | 62.30% |
| DEL NORTE | 60.90% |
| SIERRA | 59.30% |
| HUMBOLDT | 59.10% |
| TRINITY | 58.90% |
| CONTRA COSTA | 55.00% |
| SOLANO | 53.70% |
| LASSEN | 47.00% |
| ALPINE | 45.50% |
| IMPERIAL | 45.30% |
| MADERA | 38.60% |
| ALAMEDA | 34.80% |
| SAN FRANCISCO | 28.90% |
Placer DUI convictions by age
| AGE GROUP | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 18-20 | 3% |
| 21-30 | 21.80% |
| 31-40 | 29.30% |
| 41-50 | 21.10% |
| 51-60 | 14.30% |
| 61-70 | 8.30% |
| 71& above | 2.30% |
Simple solution
While much work remains to reduce drunk driving and its significant societal damage, the positive trend is that drunk driving deaths and crime have seen a dramatic decline over the past 40 years.
The simple and smart solution remains, if you're drinking, don't drive.