Vehicle accidents — by far the most likely way a Manteca resident will get injured or suffer significant financial losses — were up 7.26 percent on city streets during the first six months of this year.
At the same time, Manteca Police issued almost 20 percent less tickets — 1,998 — from January through June of this year compared to the first half of 2015. The biggest drop was among moving violation citations that slipped 31.87% from 1,023 to 697 during the six-month comparison period.
Categories that saw increased citations for the January to June period were driving under the influence up 24.4 percent going from 66 to 82, parking violations up 23.5 percent going from 349 to 431 and non-moving violations up 3.16 percent going from 380 to 392. Citations issued for moving infractions, seat belts, improper child restraint and other violations were all down.
There were no fatal accidents in the first six months of the year. However, injury accidents were up 38.9 percent going from 77 to 107.
Manteca Police do not have jurisdiction on the 120 Bypass and Highway 99 so accident statistics and citations on the two freeways are not included in the department’s monthly activity reports. The 120 Bypass in a typical week can experience six accidents from fender benders to major incidents.
Almost 7 of every 100 accidents that occurred in Manteca involved a driver that was under the influence of either illegal or legal drugs or alcohol. Nearly 82 percent of Manteca’s accidents in the first six months of this year were property damage only.
Despite the uptick in accidents, surviving them has been much better his year with no fatalities on city streets compared to six in all of 2015.
Manteca Police — like a growing number of California municipal law enforcement agencies— do not respond to simple fender benders.
And while they respond to more significant mishaps where a vehicle is often disabled but there are no injuries, they do not determine fault. They will file reports when someone is injured.
On major accidents that involve a fatality or a major injury a more extensive investigation will be conducted but ultimately fault is assigned by insurance companies and not police except in cases where the accident leads to criminal charges being filed.
The department’s policy may not sit well with some motorists but police note insurance companies ultimately determine on their own which driver is responsible and therefore whose insurance pays the tab.
The department handled:
898 accident calls in 2015
858 accident calls in 2014
736 accident calls in 2013
674 accident calls in 2012
637 accident calls in 2010
675 accident calls in 2009.
A rundown of other accident-related statistics in Manteca overall for 2015 versus 2014 include:
702 property damage only accidents in 2015, compared to 699 in 2014.
47 driving under the influence arrests or citations whether it is alcohol, drugs, or prescription medicine in 2015 compared to 41 in 2014.
92 hit and run accidents in 2015, compared to 83 in 2014.
189 seat belt violation tickets were issued in 2015 compared to 183 in 2014.
1,937 moving violation tickets were issued in 2015, compared to 1,221 in 2014.
9 child restraint violation tickets were issued in 2015, compared to 9 in 2014.
623 non-moving violations were issued in 2015, compared to 734 in 2014.
673 parking citations were issued in 2015, compared to 582 in 2014.
