California DMV Study: Unlicensed Drivers Are More Reckless Drivers

A new study conducted and published by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) found that unlicensed drivers and drivers with revoked or suspended licenses are three times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than drivers with valid licenses. The study, Fatal Crash Rates for Suspended/Revoked and Unlicensed Drivers, analyzed California car accident data spanning the last 23 years, with a focus on crashes which involved only one at-fault driver. While the overall number of crashes has decreased over time, the number of crashes caused by unlicensed drivers has stayed steady. Currently, drivers without a valid license are between 2.6 and 2.73 times more likely to cause a fatal accident than other drivers. The California car accident study also found that male drivers in their twenties were the most likely demographic to cause an accident and to have a revoked or suspended license. It is difficult to know the true number of drivers on the road without valid licenses because there is no way to track them. In addition, it is difficult to know how many hit-and-run accidents are caused by unlicensed drivers because many hit-and-run drivers are never found. Nationwide, states struggle with finding effective ways to keep unlicensed drivers off of the road. Orange County Car Accident Attorneys When the driver who struck your vehicle and caused your injury doesn’t have a license—or, has a suspended or revoked license—it can add complications to your CA personal injury claim. To learn more about your rights and your case, contact the Orange County car accident lawyers at Russell & Lazarus today. We offer free consultations to accident victims and their families. To learn more, call (949) 851-0222 today.