Here’s some good news you don’t hear often: young drivers in California are getting far fewer DUIs than they used to.
According to the California DMV’s annual DUI report, DUI arrests of drivers under 21 fell every single year from 2011 to 2021, the latest year the DMV has published. They dropped from 13,964 arrests in 2011 to 5,781 in 2021, a 59% decline. Young drivers’ share of all DUI arrests in the state fell too, from 7.8% to 5.3%.
Why it’s happening
Young people are drinking less. Gallup’s 2025 poll found that young adults are now slightly less likely to drink than middle-aged and older adults. Twenty years ago, they were the group most likely to drink. About two-thirds of 18- to 34-year-olds now say even moderate drinking is bad for your health, up from about 4 in 10 in 2015.
Getting a ride is easier than ever. When Uber and Lyft are a tap away, there’s less reason to get behind the wheel after a party.
“We see it in our office, too,” said Mat Sabzehroo, owner of MIS Insurance Services in Culver City. “Young people today are smarter about this. They’d rather pay for a rideshare than risk their license, their insurance and their future. That’s a trend we’re happy to see.”
A DUI still costs a young driver a lot
Fewer DUIs doesn’t mean zero. For a young driver, one DUI can mean a suspended license, a required SR-22 filing with the DMV, and a big jump in insurance rates. Many drivers are dropped by their insurance company after a DUI, and teen drivers are already among the most expensive to insure.
If it happens to you or your child, MIS can help. We have a market for every driver, including teens and drivers with a DUI. SR-22 insurance in California starts as low as $10 a month (prices vary), and we file it electronically with the DMV the same day. Our agents speak Spanish.
The best DUI is the one that never happens
If you’re going out, decide how you’re getting home before the first drink. Pick a designated driver who won’t drink at all, or keep a rideshare app ready. The numbers show more young Californians are already doing it.