This tiny coastal California city is the DUI capital of the state

Laguna Beach Mayor admits that ‘this is a problem that we need to address’

Laguna Beach has seen more DUI arrests compared to similiar-sized California cities in the last two decades (Getty/iStock)

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.

The Laguna Beach Police Department sends letters to establishments where a suspected DUI driver, who was arrested in the city, had their last drink.

Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach is usually packed with tourists and visitors entering the city (Getty/iStock)

While there is no mention of the driver’s name, it includes information about the date, time and location they were apprehended – along with their blood alcohol content.

The new program hopes to help hospitality workers recognize when a patron becomes too drunk. It hopes to supplement existing anti-DUI efforts, such as checkpoints.

“The data shows us this is a problem that we need to address and I think this is a really very innovative, collaborative and data-driven way of doing that,” Laguna Beach Mayor Alex Rounaghi told the Los Angeles Times.

It also looks to see whether patterns emerge concerning particular establishments, or servers, who regularly overserve customers.

The small city has one of the worst drink driving problems for its size in California (Getty/iStock)

“So it’s an opportunity for them to look at whether there’s a pattern with certain bartenders overserving or do some additional education with not only their bartenders, but their security staff,” Laguna Beach Police Chief Jeff Calvert told The Times.

If the program is effective, it is hoped to be a model for other communities.

Laguna Beach businesses owner Heidi Miller praised efforts to tackle drunk driving in the city.

“People joke that we’re the DUI arrest capital of California, but for me, it’s not such a bad thing. It means that our police department is on top of things,” she told The Times.

“We’re watching out for – not only our residents – but the people that are passing through our town.”

The Independent has contacted the Laguna Beach Police Department and the California Office of Traffic Safety for more information.