Labor Day weekend is a time when many Californians travel, attend gatherings, visit family and friends, and enjoy the last major holiday weekend of summer.

Unfortunately, it can also mean more impaired drivers on California roads.

For Labor Day 2026, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is conducting a statewide Holiday Enforcement Period from 6:01 p.m. Friday, September 4, through 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 7, with a focus on identifying and removing impaired drivers from the road. During last year’s comparable Labor Day enforcement period, CHP officers made more than 1,200 impaired-driving arrests. Nearly 500 DUI-related crashes were reported statewide, resulting in more than 270 injuries and eight deaths.

For someone injured by a drunk or otherwise impaired driver, the consequences can extend far beyond the crash itself. Medical treatment, lost income, vehicle damage, pain, and other losses can create significant physical and financial challenges.

If you were injured in a crash caused by an impaired driver, you may have the right to pursue compensation through a California personal injury claim.

What Is Considered Impaired Driving in California?

When people hear “DUI,” they often think only about alcohol. Impaired driving, however, is not limited to alcohol.

Alcohol, cannabis, prescription medications, illegal drugs, and some over-the-counter medications can affect a person’s ability to drive safely. CHP specifically warns that substances other than alcohol can impair the judgment and reaction time necessary to operate a vehicle safely.

A driver may also face legal consequences when their ability to drive is impaired even if alcohol is not the only substance involved.

For an injured person, the important question is what caused the collision and whether the other driver’s conduct contributed to the crash.

Why Labor Day Weekend Can Increase the Risk of Impaired-Driving Crashes

Holiday weekends can change normal driving patterns.

People may travel longer distances, attend parties or gatherings where alcohol is served, stay out later than usual, or drive on unfamiliar roads.

More vehicles on the road do not automatically mean more crashes. However, increased traffic combined with impaired driving, speeding, distraction, or fatigue can create dangerous conditions.

That is why CHP increases enforcement around major holiday periods. During the 2026 Labor Day Holiday Enforcement Period, officers throughout California are specifically focusing on impaired drivers.

For people traveling through San Diego and Southern California, the combination of holiday travel and busy roadways can make defensive driving especially important.

What Should You Do After Being Hit by a Drunk Driver?

If you are involved in a collision with a driver who appears to be impaired, your first priority should be your safety and medical needs.

1. Call 911

Contact law enforcement as soon as possible if you believe the other driver may be impaired.

A police investigation may document observations about the driver, the condition of the vehicles, statements from witnesses, and other circumstances surrounding the collision.

Tell the responding officer what you observed, but avoid confronting or arguing with the other driver.

2. Get Medical Attention

Some crash injuries are immediately apparent. Others may not become noticeable until hours or even days later.

Seek appropriate medical attention after a significant collision, even if you initially believe your injuries are minor.

Tell your healthcare provider that your symptoms resulted from the crash and follow the recommended treatment.

Medical records can later become important evidence when documenting the nature and extent of your injuries.

3. Document the Accident Scene

If you are physically able to do so and it is safe, photograph or record as much as possible.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include:

• Damage to the vehicles
• Your visible injuries
• The location of the collision
• Road conditions
• Traffic signs and signals
• Skid marks or debris
• Vehicle positioning
• Damage to nearby property
• Other conditions that may have contributed to the crash

Do not put yourself in danger to obtain photographs.

Evidence can disappear quickly after a collision. Vehicles may be repaired, debris may be removed, and physical conditions at the scene may change.

4. Identify Witnesses

If people witnessed the collision or observed the other driver’s behavior immediately before the crash, obtain their names and contact information if possible.

A witness may have seen something you did not.

For example, someone may have observed the other driver swerving, speeding, nearly hitting another vehicle, running a red light, or behaving erratically before the collision.

5. Obtain and Preserve the Police Report

A police report can become an important piece of evidence in a personal injury claim.

Insurance companies, attorneys, and other parties may review the report when evaluating what happened and who may have been responsible.

However, a police report is not necessarily the final word on liability. Reports can contain errors, incomplete information, or conclusions that need further investigation.

Nahama Law has previously discussed the importance of police reports and how information in those reports can affect San Diego personal injury cases in AI in Police Reports and Personal Injury Cases.

6. Preserve Other Evidence

Keep copies of medical records, bills, photographs, insurance correspondence, repair estimates, witness information, and other documents related to the accident.

If your vehicle contains a dashcam or other recording device, preserve the footage.

Do not assume that someone else is preserving evidence for you.

Does a DUI Arrest Automatically Mean You Will Win a Personal Injury Case?

No.

A DUI arrest or conviction can be important evidence, but a criminal DUI case and a civil personal injury claim are separate matters.

The criminal case is brought by the government against the driver.

A personal injury claim, on the other hand, is pursued by the injured person to seek compensation for losses caused by the collision.

A DUI arrest does not automatically resolve every issue in a civil case. An attorney may still need to establish how the collision occurred, identify the responsible parties, document the injuries, and determine the damages involved.

That is one reason preserving evidence and investigating the collision early can be important.

What Compensation May Be Available After a DUI Crash?

If another driver’s negligence caused your injuries, you may be able to seek compensation for losses resulting from the collision.

Depending on the circumstances, damages may include:

• Medical expenses
• Future medical treatment
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Property damage
• Physical pain
• Emotional distress
• Other accident-related losses

The value of a personal injury claim depends on the specific facts of the case.

The seriousness of the injuries, the length of treatment, the effect on employment and daily life, available insurance coverage, and other factors may affect the potential value of a claim.

What If the Driver Who Hit Me Does Not Have Insurance?

A DUI crash does not necessarily mean that the at-fault driver has enough insurance to cover your losses.

The driver may have limited insurance coverage—or no insurance at all.

Depending on your policy and the circumstances of the collision, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may provide another potential source of compensation.

These cases can become complicated when injuries are serious or multiple insurance policies may apply.

An attorney can review the available coverage and help determine what options may exist.

What If the Driver Was Driving for Work?

Sometimes the person who caused the collision was operating a vehicle for work.

That can raise additional questions about whether an employer or another party may have legal responsibility for the accident.

The answer depends on the circumstances, including the driver’s relationship with the company, what the driver was doing at the time of the collision, and other facts.

An investigation can help determine whether parties beyond the individual driver may have potential responsibility.

What If Another Driver Was Distracted, Too?

Impaired driving is not the only danger during a busy holiday weekend.

Distracted driving can also contribute to serious collisions.

California has strict restrictions on handheld cellphone use while driving. Drivers should not assume that a quick text, notification, or phone interaction is harmless.

Nahama Law explains California’s restrictions in California’s “No-Touch” Cell Phone Law Explained.

If a crash involves both impaired driving and another form of negligent conduct, the circumstances should be investigated carefully rather than assuming there was only one contributing factor.

What If I Was a Passenger in the Vehicle?

Passengers injured in a DUI crash may also have potential personal injury claims.

For example, you may have been:

• A passenger in the impaired driver’s vehicle
• A passenger in another vehicle struck by the impaired driver
• A rideshare passenger
• A passenger in a commercial or company vehicle

Determining who may be legally responsible depends on the circumstances of the collision and the insurance coverage that applies.

Being a passenger does not automatically prevent you from pursuing compensation for your injuries.

Do Not Assume the Criminal Case Will Compensate You

Another common misconception after a DUI crash is that the criminal prosecution will compensate the injured person.

Criminal and civil cases serve different purposes.

A criminal prosecution is intended to address the driver’s alleged violation of criminal law.

A personal injury claim seeks compensation for the injured person’s losses.

Even if the driver is arrested or convicted, you may still need to pursue a separate civil claim to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income, property damage, pain, and other losses.

How Long Do You Have to File a California Personal Injury Claim?

Do not wait until the end of the applicable deadline to begin investigating a serious injury claim.

In many California personal injury cases, the general statute of limitations is two years from the date of the injury. However, important exceptions can apply depending on the circumstances.

Different rules may apply when a government agency is involved, when the injured person is a minor, or in other circumstances.

Claims involving government entities can also involve shorter deadlines and special procedures. In many situations, a government claim must be presented within six months of the injury.

For a more detailed explanation of California personal injury deadlines and exceptions, see How Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in California?.

More importantly, a filing deadline is not the same thing as an investigation deadline.

Surveillance footage may be deleted. Vehicles may be repaired. Accident scenes may change. Witnesses may forget important details.

Beginning an investigation sooner can help preserve evidence and give an attorney a better opportunity to understand what happened.

What If I Suspect Someone Is Driving Drunk?

If you see a driver who appears to be impaired, do not attempt to stop or confront the driver yourself.

CHP advises motorists to report suspected impaired drivers by calling 911.

If you can do so safely, provide information such as the vehicle’s location, direction of travel, and identifying details.

A single call could potentially prevent a serious crash.

Speak With a San Diego Personal Injury Lawyer After a DUI Crash

A collision caused by an impaired driver can change someone’s life in seconds.

If you were injured because another driver chose to drive under the influence, you should not have to navigate the medical, financial, insurance, and legal consequences alone.

Nahama Law represents individuals injured in car accidents, including accidents involving DUI drivers.

If you or someone you love was injured by an impaired driver in San Diego or elsewhere in California, contact Nahama Law for a FREE consultation to discuss what happened and learn about your legal options.

There are no upfront fees, and you pay nothing unless compensation is recovered in your case.