How Common Are DUI Arrests In Marin County?

During the pre-COVID days, DUI arrests in Marin County were a lot more common. Now, there are fewer officers on the road and fewer people on the road, which means fewer intoxicated drivers on the road. The numbers are starting to increase as we get closer to a vaccine being distributed, and eventually, the numbers will be where they were pre-COVID.

Marin County is where many people drive through when traveling from Sonoma or Napa County back to the city where their hotel may be or where they may live in South Bay. There are so many different reasons why people drive through Marin County. It’s not a big county, but there is a lot of freeway, a number of curves, and many different places where the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will hang out and wait for someone who is speeding or weaving.

Most DUI arrests in Marin County are conducted by the CHP, because Marin County basically only has Highway 101, which goes from just north of the Golden Gate Bridge through Sausalito, New Valley, Corte Madera, and Tiburon, all of which branch off the 101. There is Green Brea, San Rafael, San Anselmo, and then up into Nevada, and after Nevada, there is Sonoma County, Petaluma, and Santa Rosa. Often, it’s a sheriff who gets someone out in West Marin, whether in Point Reyes, Inverness, or out by the beaches. In fact, some of that’s federal land, so sometimes the park rangers or park police will get people for DUI. The local police departments, such as the Marin Police Authority, San Rafael PD, and Nevada PD make most of the arrests in Marin County. We see a fair number in Mill Valley as well, but not as many in the small areas.

What Is The Legal Blood Alcohol Concentration Level Under California DUI Law?

In California, the legal blood alcohol concentration is 0.08 for anyone 21 and older. For anyone under 21, there is zero tolerance, which means a 17 or 18-year-old who blows even a 0.01 would be in violation of zero tolerance. The penalties are not as great, because we are talking about infractions instead of misdemeanors. However, the license penalty is more severe than if it was an 0.08 case with nothing extra, and a person would be looking at losing their license for a full year.

For commercial drivers, the legal limit is 0.04. There is also a lower limit for rideshare drivers, such as those who work for Uber and Lyft. Those drivers should not have any alcohol in their system while they are driving around, but unfortunately, I have seen quite a number of them as clients and in court who were drinking and driving. This is something people need to be very careful of when getting into an Uber or Lyft, especially at night.

For more information on Frequency Of DUI Arrests In Marin County, a free case evaluation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (415) 886-6333 today.