Here Are the Top Three Reasons Fatal Crashes Happen in Oakland

by Staff | June 6th, 2022

Two crashes happen every week that cause severe or fatal injuries in Oakland, and 75% of them occur at intersections. People walking, biking, or taking public transportation make up 50% of severely or fatally injured accident victims but less than 30% of commuters.

In Oakland, just a few streets account for 60% of all traffic fatalities in the city, with most high-injury corridors being located in Chinatown. These high-risk streets are predominantly located in areas populated by communities disproportionately affected by traffic accidents, including elderly citizens.

Most fatal accidents wouldn’t happen if not for the negligent, reckless, or careless behavior of drivers. If you’ve lost a loved one in a deadly crash in Oakland caused by a driver’s negligent actions, contact Berg Injury Lawyers to find out how we can help you get maximum compensation for your loss.

Causes of Fatal Accidents

Multiple factors lead to fatal motor vehicle accidents, but three occur most often in Oakland. Speeding, intersections, and failure to yield to pedestrians most frequently contribute to deadly collisions.

Speeding

Speeding is the most common moving violation in Oakland. Many residents cite a lack of officers to enforce traffic laws has led to an increase in speeding vehicles.

Excessive speed contributes to just over 25% of fatal accidents. Nine out of ten pedestrians can survive being hit by a car traveling 10 mph. Only one-half survive if the car is traveling 30 mph, and that figure drops to one-tenth at 50 mph.

Intersections

Approximately 75% of all fatal traffic accidents occur at intersections. Speeding, drivers running red lights, and left-hand turns increase the danger of intersections, particularly those with traffic signals. A driver making a left turn is four times more likely to kill someone than a driver making a right turn.

Broadside crashes at intersections with stop lights cause 20% of crashes resulting in severe or fatal injuries. Usually, this happens because a driver fails to notice a red light or is traveling too fast to stop in time.

Failure to Yield to Pedestrians

Failure to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk causes over one-third of pedestrian fatalities and severe injuries. Driver distraction, excess speed, and left-hand turns can all play a role in these accidents. Sober drivers kill three-quarters of cyclists, but those drivers are often inattentive, speeding, or negligent in some other way.

Fatal crashes have other causes, but these three are the most frequent. Sustaining severe injuries or losing a family member in a car accident takes a massive toll on your family. Hiring a personal injury lawyer can help you focus on healing.

How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

If you’ve been injured or lost a family member in a fatal Oakland car crash, hiring a lawyer can help maximize your compensation so you get the settlement you deserve.

Getting legal representation before you speak to the at-fault driver’s insurance company ensures you don’t say anything that can be held against you later.

Car accident attorneys have experience investigating accidents, reconstructing accident scenes, and gathering evidence, including police reports and witness interviews. They can focus on negotiating with the insurance company while your family focuses on grieving and healing. 

While most claims are resolved at the negotiation stage, if the insurance company won’t offer a fair settlement, your lawyer can take the case to court, calling on expert witnesses in medicine and finance to convince jurors that you deserve fair compensation.

You should receive enough to cover medical bills, burial costs, lost income, and the intangible loss of not having your family member around anymore. If your injuries impact your ability to live your life as you did before the accident, you should receive compensation for that, too.

Get a Free Consultation

If you’ve been impacted by a severe injury or fatal accident, contact one of the Oakland car accident lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers for your free initial consultation today.

We have been helping accident victims in Northern California get fair compensation since 1981. Our lawyers are experienced, skilled and won’t back down even with the most aggressive push back from insurance companies. We know you are entitled to more than the insurance company wants to offer, and we know how to help you fight to get it.