VALLEY CENTER, California (SAN DIEGO COUNTY) – Passenger Manuel Quintana, 23, was killed after the suspected drunk driver of the Scion XB hatchback he was riding in lost control of the vehicle, veered off the roadway and struck a large metal-wrapped wooden power pole on the shoulder, according to a report by the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office.

Mr. Quintana was a restrained, front-seat passenger in the vehicle driven by Salvador Leon, 30, of Valley Center. Leon and a 23-year-old rear seat passenger who lives in Pauma, were both transported to Palomar Medical Center with moderate injuries, according to the report and a North County Times article.

The fatal crash took place on Valley Center Road at Queensbridge Road about 10:48 p.m., the report said.

Police suspect the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs and criminal charges are pending, according to the North County Times.

Drunk Driving Statistics

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, some 791 people died because of drunk drivers out of a total of 2,715 people who were killed in traffic accidents in California in 2010.

Nationwide there were 10,228 deaths attributed to alcohol impaired driving in 2010, the NHTSA reports. Some 32,885 people died in traffic accidents nationwide. While the numbers are staggering, deaths from drunk drivers were actually down nearly 5% in 2010 compared to 2009.

According to statistics compiled by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers every 52 minutes on average someone is killed in a drunk driving crash. In fact, in 2010, there were 10,228 people killed in the United States in crashes involving alcohol. Additionally, every 90 seconds someone is injured because of this crime despite so much awareness of the dangers of drunk driving.

Families of victims of drunk drivers can join in the crusade against driving under the influence in this year’s Walk Like MADD San Diego. The annual event will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 10, 2012 at Naval Training Center Park 2455 Cushing Road, San Diego, CA.

This news article was sponsored by the legal experts at Seegmiller Law Firm. Our law firm has been an advocate for families of car accident victims and injured clients for more than 30 years in Southern California.

There is no cost to speak to our experienced legal professionals about your accident until we have won your case. While compensation will not heal your emotional or physical wounds, finding the best accident attorney can mean you will get the settlement you need to get your life back on track and support your family in a time of need.

The Seegmiller Law Firm has offices in Southern California including its headquarters in Irvine, Orange County. We also have offices outside of Orange County to serve you in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside and in Las Vegas, Nevada.