California drunk driving accident lawyers may soon see the day when sensors in a car automatically detect a driver’s blood alcohol level, and prevent him from driving if his alcohol levels are too high. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently attended a demonstration of an alcohol detection device prototype that can automatically detect blood alcohol levels of the person attempting to drive the car. If the person has an alcohol level that is .08 or above, the vehicle will not start, preventing the motorist from driving.

The demonstration was held at QinetiQ North America, a Massachusetts-based research and development facility. During the demonstration, a young woman consumed two one and a half ounce glasses of vodka and orange juice. In order to make the woman's alcohol consumption as close to a social setting as possible, the woman, who was in her 20s and weighed about 120 pounds, ate some cheese and crackers too.  She then used touch and breath sensor prototypes, which showed her blood alcohol level was at .06 and she was able to start the car.

Transportation Sec. LaHood believes that vehicles equipped with such alcohol detection sensors are the next frontier in automotive safety. However, federal officials also insist that any such systems are purely voluntary, and will not be mandated in all vehicles. Any such device will only be commercially available after a period of at least eight years.

Where these alcohol detection devices score over traditional breathalyzers is that these devices are quite unobtrusive. Unlike with traditional ignition interlock devices that have been available for many years now, motorists are not required to blow into a breathalyzer device to detect intoxication levels. Because of this, motorists may be more accepting of such devices than they are of ignition interlock systems. It is reasonable to assume that if these devices are found to be successful and reliable, insurance companies may offer low premiums to motorists who get these devices installed in their vehicles.

Blame it on a lack of will to crack down on repeat drunk driving offenders, or drinking establishments that have no qualms about over serving patrons. Whatever the reason, it is no surprise to Los Angeles car accident attorneys that Huntington Beach has the highest DUI accident rates in California.

According to data released by the California Office of Traffic Safety, 195 people were killed or injured by intoxicated motorists in Huntington Beach in 2009. The list includes 55 other California cities with a population of between 100,000 and 250,000.

Huntington Beach has always had a problem with drunk driving accidents. The city has featured on the list of the top California cities for per capita drunk driving accidents for the past five years. In 2005, the city was placed sixth on the list, and in 2006, it dropped to eighth position. In 2008, Huntington Beach was fourth on the list. In 2009 however, there had been more per capita drunk driving accidents in Huntington Beach, than any other city in California.

The news is not a surprise to the Huntington Beach Police Department either. Officers say they are aware that the city has a problem with drunk driving, but even they were not expecting their city to be the number one city for accidents caused by intoxicated motorists. According to the police department, they arrested 1,558 DUI suspects in 2009.

Surf City also has far too many bars and pubs that fail to set a limit on the amount of alcohol that a patron can be served before he goes out driving. There's also a lot also to be said for the lackadaisical attitude that the City Council has taken toward stemming the drunk driving problem in Huntington Beach. Last month, the City Council voted down a proposal to post the mugshots of repeat drunk driving offenders on its Facebook page.

Edward Schaefer was convicted of murder in the 2nd degree on Thursday for the killing of a child he struck with his motorcycle in a crosswalk in Novato, Calif. Schaefer has eight previous DUI offenses to his record. The jury returned their verdict in less than four hours, saying that his DUI history showed malice.

Schaefer's driving history leading up to the accident includes the eight DUI charges and convictions, probation for 14 years and assorted judgments such as rehab treatment and license forfeiture. Even with such measures put in place, Schaefer still had access to a motorcycle and rode it through a stop sign, plowing into the Osheroff family, killing one of them and injuring the others.

The Osheroff family expressed gratitude for the verdict of guilty for five felony counts. Aaron Osheroff said that he remembered lying in the street, asking himself when he would wake up, thinking it was a horrifying dream.

Schaefer's recklessness killed the Osheroff's nine-year-old daughter Melody.

Schaefer's behavior was hardly that of a remorseful man. According to reports, he made obscene gestures at photographers during his first court appearance.

Osheroff also said anything other than the verdict returned would have been "an abomination." He called the decision "a no-brainer."

Aaron suffered damage in the impact, as well. His right leg is gone below the knee, and his left was severely mangled in the impact. Extensive surgery was required to repair both the muscles and the skin, necessitating a number of tissue grafts from other parts of his body.

When asked about the verdict, Osheroff stated that he didn't think Schaefer had demonstrated any remorse. He said he was glad of the verdict, and glad to have Schaefer out of his lives and off the streets. Currently, Osheroff's priorities lie on rebuilding his family's lives and making sure his surviving daughter has everything she needs.