A suspected DUI driver and his two passengers survived a near-fatal crash in Bakersfield, California, on Monday, March 23rd. The authorities identified the driver as 20-year-old, Joel Soto.

Officers with the Bakersfield Police Department got a call about the accident at about 7:20 a.m. The preliminary investigation uncovered that Soto in the company of two unidentified persons was driving a 2004 Ford F-150.

The young man was going over the speed limit and heading west on Edison Highway. When the car got near Fairfax Road, it crossed the raised cement center median and started sliding sideways, causing the vehicle to overturn more than once.

The impact ejected Soto and his passengers, and they all ended up on the roadway. The trio was severely injured, and paramedics transported them to Kern Medical Center for treatment.

The California Highway Patrol later uncovered that Soto was driving under the influence of alcohol, but there’s no information on the charges against him. The investigation remains active.

Statistics have shown that every day, twenty-nine people in the United States die in motor vehicle accidents caused by an alcohol-impaired driver. This means that one person dies every 50 minutes.

Alcohol-impaired crashes claim about 10 000 lives per year, and those who survive often have life-altering injuries that affect the quality of life they live. Driving with high blood alcohol concentration means that the brain is not functioning optimally.

It affects reasoning and muscle coordination, and as the alcohol level rises, it affects the central nervous system. Drivers are therefore advised to avoid drinking and driving, and look for alternate means of transportation when under the influence.

Disclaimer: The Accident News article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.

The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Accident News’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.

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