A picturesque seven-mile stretch running along the Pacific Ocean in California harbors a dark secret: it’s the drunk driving capital of the Golden State.
Laguna Beach has had the highest number of DUI arrests per capita of any California city of its size for at least two decades, officials said.
According to the latest data from the California Office of Traffic Safety, Laguna Beach police made 269 DUI arrests in 2021 up from 247 a year earlier. More recent data has not been made publicly available.
Scattered with beach houses of the rich and famous – it was once home to Hollywood icon Judy Garland – and a population of just 22,000, the city welcomes more than 6.5 million visitors every year.
That, in part, is driving up the number of DUI arrests, with tourists and visitors driving into Laguna Beach for day trips.
City officials have been compelled to act and have embarked on a new enforcement program to help to dramatically decrease the number of motorists driving under the influence of alcohol.