DUI on a motorcycle alleged in Huntington Beach

Our Orange County DUI Lawyers have learned that a man suspected of driving under the influence was injured in a solo motorcycle accident that closed part of northbound Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach early the morning of June 20, 2015.  DUI on a motorcycle alleged in Huntington Beach as a result of this accident.

The driver was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange with non-life-threatening injuries and was issued a citation only for his Huntington Beach DUI, according to a Huntington Beach Police Department spokesperson.

California’s Vehicle Code 23152 (a) or (b) applies to those caught driving a motorcycle while impaired. This section of the Vehicle Code makes it illegal for anyone to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Anyone proven to do so in a court of law will be found guilty of a DUI and sentenced according to guidelines that are set by legislation.

DUI laws apply to any motor vehicle where the operator or driver is under the influence, or above a .08% alcohol level, or influenced by drugs.

Motorcycles are especially dangerous, and being DUI makes them more so.

Riding a motorcycle requires complex skills that are very demanding of the driver, and impaired judgment is more dangerous on a motorcycle.

A motorcycle is considered to be a vehicle as defined in the code as “a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, excepting a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.” Just as with automobiles, motorcycle driver impairment is a serious problem. Statistics show that motorcycle drivers in fatal crashes had higher intoxication rates than drivers of other vehicles.

There are generally more DUI arrests involving cars than motorcycles due to the number of cars on the road, but motorcycles riders are not immune from law enforcement scrutiny. In fact, many motorcycle riders report coming under extra scrutiny from those in the law enforcement community, whether as the result of concerns over “biker gangs” or because the additional equipment and noise regulations that motorcycles must comply with to be street legal. A motorcycle rider stopped for a muffler or equipment violation may soon find him or herself the target of a DUI investigation if the officer notices telltale signs of intoxication such as bloodshot or watery eyes, slurred speech or the odor of alcohol.

The DMV, as well, will suspend a license for DUI on a motorcycle, just like they do with any motor vehicle, including cars.

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