ALCOHOL-RELATED CRASH DEATHS UP.

Byline: SUSAN ABRAM Staff Writer

VAN NUYS -- Nearly 25 years after California enacted laws outlawing driving under the influence of alcohol, crash-related deaths are on the rise, a study released Thursday found.

An analysis conducted by the Automobile Club of Southern California reveals that while alcohol-related crashes have dropped since 1982, alcohol-related crash deaths began to climb again after 1998 -- by 41 percent statewide, and 39 percent countywide.

The study comes a day after a 10-year-old Van Nuys boy was killed when he was ejected from his father's car, which was struck by a vehicle driven by a suspected drunken driver, police said.

Kevin Gomez was not wearing a seat belt when he and his father were hit by a car driven by Sofia De La Torre Saldivar, 35, also of Van Nuys, at Kester Avenue and Valerio Street.

Police say Saldivar was driving at three times the legal blood-alcohol limit. She has been listed in critical condition and her arrest is pending, Los Angeles Police Department Detective Doug Larkin said.

While the notion of drinking and driving has become less acceptable in society, researchers attribute the increase in alcohol-related crash deaths to more aggressive driving.

``Based on the severity of the crashes happening, it seems that people, whether sober or drunk, are speeding, following too closely behind and so on,'' said Marie Montgomery, spokeswoman for the Auto Club.

One change will come Jan. 1 when Senate Bill 1021, which addresses aggressive driving and education, takes effect, Montgomery said.

Road rage or not, local police departments are arresting more drivers under the influence of alcohol, though overall alcohol-related crashes are down.

So far this year, there have been 2,760 arrests made by the LAPD's Valley Traffic Division, compared with 2,673 for the same time last year. But collisions declined by 5 percent from 2005 to 2006, and police say it has to do with more resources being directed toward task forces that work to stop those drivers before they get into collisions.

``What we've been doing is trying to get the worst of the worst,'' said LAPD Sgt. Dave Ferry, who heads the H2O Task force. The specialized unit kicked off in late 2003 as a pilot program that focused on repeat offenders. It has since expanded departmentwide.

``Once someone has two DUIs, we'll watch them,'' he said. ``We look for any cars they may own and we'll just sit there and wait and see if they are obeying their probation. As soon as we see them operate a car, we just swoop in on them.''

The unit has been praised for its success, but Ferry and others say what remains frustrating is shortened prison times, which can get cut by 50 percent because of overcrowded jails.

``We're not looking for stiff laws because we can work well within the laws we have right now,'' Ferry said. ``What we see are those who may be sentenced to two years, then do two months. That gives the opposite message of what the police, the criminal justice system, and the judge are trying to do.''

Members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving agree that while the laws have been effective, there is room to make more strides.

``In many ways, we have reached a plateau,'' said Tina Pasco, executive director of M.A.D.D., Los Angeles. ``While seat belts are your first defense against an impaired driver, that 10-year-old had a right not to be hit by a drunk driver. It was preventable.''

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com

[phone]

SAFER ROADS

Several laws taking effect Jan. 1 are designed to improve the safety of California's streets and highways. Here are highlights:

Assembly Bill 2752 makes it a crime for motorists under age 21 to drive with any amount of alcohol in their system. Previously law allowed only administrative action against motorists driving with a blood-alcohol level of .01 or higher.

AB 1850 prohibits a motorist from allowing anyone to ride in the trunk of their car, and also bans anyone from riding in the trunk of a car. Penalties increase for repeat offenders.

AB 2190 increases penalties for a motorist convicted of racing or reckless driving and causing an accident that results in serious injury.

Senate Bill 1735 makes it a crime to flee police by driving on the wrong side of the road.

SB 1021 increases penalties for moving violations that result in an injury collision.

SB 1610 requires motorists to slow down or move over when driving in a lane adjacent to a stationary emergency vehicle or tow truck with its emergency lights flashing.

SOURCE: California Highway Patrol 

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

SAFER ROADS (see text)