Los Angeles – Today, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto announced that the Driving Under the Influence of Drugs Unit (“DUID”) in her office is the recipient of a nearly $1.1 million Impaired Driving Prosecution Grant from California’s Office of Traffic Safety (“OTS”). Aimed at bolstering efforts to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both, this year marks the 12th year that the City Attorney’s Office has been awarded this grant.
From 2023 - 2024, the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office filed 5,389 cases involving drivers in the city allegedly under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of both. During the same time period, DUI related crashes resulting in death increased by 32%, according to LAPD’s 2023 end of year report on crime statistics.
“This grant from California’s Office of Traffic Safety represents our shared commitment to keeping our roads safer,” said Hydee Feldstein Soto, Los Angeles City Attorney. “Impaired driving is a threat to public safety and this grant will help hold those who commit this deadly and preventable crime accountable.”
“With various alternative transportation options available, there are zero excuses and zero tolerance for driving after drinking or under the influence of a drug,” OTS Director Barbara Rooney said. “The work of the vertical prosecution team is critical in addressing the serious dangers posed by impaired driving.”
Distributed through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), the OTS grant will help Feldstein Soto’s DUID unit prosecute alcohol and drug impaired driving drivers through September 2024. This specialized team will also continue to partner with the statewide Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Training Program (TSRP) to provide training to other prosecutors and investigators, and collaborate with law enforcement on best practices for handling and managing DUI cases, including data collection and evidence gathering.
To ensure that everyone gets home safely, Feldstein Soto urges Angelenos to designate a driver, take public transportation or use a rideshare service if they plan on drinking and/or using drugs and getting behind the wheel.