Riverside drunk driving accident laws are rules in California that deal with crashes caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs. These laws make it clear that drunk driving is both a crime and a form of negligence. If you’re injured in one of these accidents, you can take legal action in civil court to get money for your losses.
In Riverside, even if the drunk driver is charged with DUI, you still have to file your own civil claim to recover money for medical bills, lost wages, or damage to your car.
A helpful drunk driving accident attorney in Riverside who focuses on drunk driving accident cases can help collect evidence like toxicology reports, police statements, and witness accounts. They can also file your claim before the deadline, which is two years from the date of the crash under California law.
Let’s go over some other laws on DUI in Riverside and California in general.
What Are California’s DUI Laws?
In California, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of:
- 0.08% or higher for adults over 21
- 0.01% for drivers under 21 or on DUI probation
- 0.04% for commercial drivers or drivers carrying passengers for hire
You can also be charged if your driving is impaired by alcohol or drugs, even if your BAC is below the legal limit. That includes prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs that affect your ability to drive safely.
How Does Liability Work in Riverside DUI Accidents?
California follows a fault-based system for car crashes. That means the driver who caused the accident is responsible for paying damages.
In DUI cases, the impaired driver is usually considered negligent per se, meaning the law automatically sees them as at fault because they broke a traffic law. Still, you have to prove they were impaired, which can require test results and officer testimony.
Bars or restaurants can only be held responsible if they served alcohol to a minor who later caused the crash. This is because California’s dram shop laws are very limited.
Social hosts who serve alcohol at private events also generally can’t be sued unless they served alcohol to a minor.
What Are the Penalties for DUI in California?
The penalties depend on how many times the driver has been convicted in the past 10 years and whether anyone was hurt.
A first offense can mean up to six months in jail, fines, license suspension, DUI school, and possibly an ignition interlock device.
Repeat offenses and DUI crashes causing injury or death come with much harsher penalties, including long license suspensions, years in prison, and permanent criminal records.
What Can You Recover in a DUI Accident Claim?
If you win your civil case, you can recover money for medical treatment, therapy, car repairs, lost income, pain and suffering, and in some cases, punitive damages.
Punitive damages are extra money meant to punish the drunk driver for their dangerous behavior. Families of people killed in DUI crashes can also bring wrongful death claims.
How Do Criminal and Civil DUI Cases Differ?
When a drunk driver is arrested in Riverside, the state takes over the criminal case. Prosecutors try to prove the driver broke the law so they can be punished. That might mean jail time, fines, license suspension, or all of the above.
But the criminal process doesn’t pay your medical bills or fix your car. That’s where the civil claim comes in. You (or your lawyer) file against the at-fault driver to recover financial compensation.
Even if the driver is found not guilty in criminal court, you can still win in civil court if you prove they were negligent and caused your injuries.
Summary Points
- Drunk driving in Riverside is both a crime and a form of negligence.
- Criminal cases punish the driver; civil claims get you compensation.
- Riverside’s traffic, freeways, and nightlife increase DUI accident risks.
- You have two years to file a DUI accident injury claim in California.
- Fault is usually clear in DUI cases, but proof is still needed.
- You may recover medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and sometimes punitive damages.
- Limited dram shop laws mean bars are only liable if they served alcohol to a minor.
