A CalMatters investigation has revealed that California courts failed to report nearly 400 vehicular manslaughter convictions to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) between 2019 and 2024, enabling hundreds of convicted drivers to keep or renew their licenses unlawfully.
This widespread lapse in communication meant individuals responsible for fatal crashes remained legally on the road—many accumulating new traffic violations or becoming involved in additional collisions.
In Los Angeles County alone, one-third of convictions went unreported, while in Santa Clara County, the figure was nearly half. In one case, a man convicted of killing his friend in 2023 renewed his license just two months after sentencing and was later involved in another crash.
Court officials cited outdated systems, human error, and technical issues as contributing factors.
In response to the CalMatters findings, nearly 200 previously unreported convictions were submitted to the DMV, resulting in license suspensions or revocations. The revelations underscore an urgent need for better digital reporting protocols.
