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License To Kill
Investigation
‘We’re talking about people’s lives:’ California lawmakers grill DMV director on deadly failures
The state Senate's hearing on driving laws was spurred by a CalMatters investigation into California's approach to deadly drivers.
Investigation
After his crash killed a child, the DMV renewed his license – then it hid his records
‘There is either moral culpability or legal liability on them,' the Placer County DA said, 'and they are actively seeking to prevent that from being disclosed.'
Investigation
‘It’s time’: California leaders unveil biggest crackdown on drunk drivers in decades
A bipartisan coalition of state lawmakers has introduced 10 bills, an unprecedented package designed to stop deadly drivers.
Investigation
California has a dangerous driver problem. A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to fix that
The Assembly proposals are part of a broader push at the Capitol to reform California's weak driving laws.
Investigation
How a speeding ticket can be worse than killing someone with your car in California
A diversion program created by the Legislature in 2020 has allowed some people charged with vehicular manslaughter to keep the case off of their driving record.
Investigation
40,000 people died on California roads. State leaders looked away
‘If these people's children had been killed by a drunk driver, there is no way they would be objecting to this.’
Justice
They crashed. They killed. They’re driving again in the North Bay — and it’s perfectly legal
Despite felony convictions in fatal crashes, several local drivers have regained licenses under a system that operates with no public tracking, few safeguards and rising calls for reform.
Investigation
They were convicted of killing with their cars. No one told the California DMV
A CalMatters investigation found that courts didn’t report hundreds of vehicular manslaughter convictions to the DMV, prompting officials to belatedly take many drivers’ licenses.
Investigation
License to Kill
The California DMV routinely allows dangerous drivers with horrifying histories to continue to operate on our roadways. Too often they go on to kill. Many keep driving even after they kill. Some go on to kill again.