Auto Accident
Warning Signs You’re Too Tired to Drive
| April 12th, 2021
Every driver knows that dreaded feeling: your eyes are heavy, you’re yawning uncontrollably, and you’re still many miles from your destination.
Drowsy driving results in approximately 90,000 crashes and hundreds of deaths each year in the U.S. And tragically, these crashes are entirely preventable. That’s why it’s so important for drivers to recognize the signs of fatigue, so they can take action to save themselves and others from harm in a crash.
Red Flags of Fatigued Driving
If you notice any of the following warning signs, you could be putting yourself or others at risk of a crash:
- Difficulty keeping eyes open
- Nodding off
- Frequent yawning and blinking
- Drifting from your lane
- Missing your exit or turn
- Missing road signs or signals
- Failing to remember the last few miles you’ve driven
Prevention Is the Best Solution
Ideally, drivers should avoid getting behind the wheel if they’re at risk of falling asleep. Strategies for preventing drowsy driving include:
- Getting enough sleep. For most people, that’s between seven to nine hours per night.
- Avoiding driving for long periods without taking breaks or switching drivers. Plan to take a 15-minute break every two hours on a long trip, and to never driver for more than eight hours in a day.
- If possible, avoiding driving during periods of peak sleepiness, which is generally between midnight and 6 a.m. and in the late afternoon.
- Avoiding taking medications that cause drowsiness if you know you may need to drive while it’s in effect.
These steps can help you prevent fatigue, but it’s also worth knowing what to do if you get tired behind the wheel.
What to Do If You’re Falling Asleep Behind the Wheel
If you find yourself getting tired or nodding off behind the wheel, it’s time to act. That means taking the first available exit or entering the first safe place to park available, then taking a nap. Even a brief nap can help you stay awake long enough to arrive safely to your destination, as long as that destination isn’t too far away.
If you have someone else riding in your vehicle who is able to drive, ask them to drive while you take a nap. Though some strategies like listening to loud music, drinking caffeine, or blasting cold air might have marginal benefits to help you stay awake, nothing will truly rejuvenate you as well as sleep. These methods should only be used to get you to a safe place to pull over, not to get you all the way to your destination if you are already feel drowsy.
How to Spot Drowsy Drivers on the Road
We can each do everything in our power to avoid driving while tired, but we’re still at the mercy of our fellow drivers’ efforts to stay safe.
If you notice that a vehicle is drifting into another lane or off the road, then you might be near a drowsy driver. When a driver drifts into your lane or endangers you or other motorists, then you have every right to honk your horn. If possible, slow down or speed up to create a safe distance between you and the other vehicle.
When Injured by a Negligent Driver, You Have Legal Options
If you’re injured in a crash through no fault of your own, you have the right to pursue compensation for all the damages you’ve experienced, including medical bills, lost income, pain, and suffering. Don’t hesitate to contact the California car accident attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case review with our team.
How Do You Spot a Distracted Driver?
| April 5th, 2021
An average of eight people die in distracted driving crashes every single day in the U.S. And every year, around 400,000 people are injured in crashes involving distracted drivers.
The number of distracted driving accidents has only increased as smartphones are now commonplace for most U.S. consumers. That’s despite countless warnings from safety advocates, legislators, and law enforcement officials that drivers should never use mobile devices behind the wheel.
The chances are good that on your next commute, you’ll be sharing the road with someone whose focus is not on driving. But how do you identify these drivers so you can avoid them?
Identifying Distracted Drivers
A driver can be distracted visually, manually, or cognitively, and it’s important to recognize patterns of distracted driving so you can avoid being injured by one.
There are several signs that a driver is distracted, including:
- Hunching over in the driver seat
- The glow of a screen illuminating their face
- Visibly interacting with a passenger instead of facing forward
- Swerving or drifting outside of their traffic lane
- Failing to slow or come to a stop when a light is red or when cars are stopped ahead of them
- Erratic braking
- Traveling at inconsistent speeds
- Failing to drive when a traffic light turns green
- Eating, drinking, or smoking behind the wheel
What to Do if You Notice a Distracted Driver
If you spot a distracted driver on the road, do your best to keep a safe distance. That means leaving plenty of space between your vehicle and theirs, doing your best to speed up (or slow down) to get as far away as possible.
If a driver is stalled in front of you at a red light or veering into your lane, don’t hesitate to use your vehicle’s horn to get their attention, especially if you feel you’re in danger of a collision.
When You’re Injured by a Distracted Driver, You Have Legal Options
Whenever any negligent driver causes you harm, you have the right to hold that driver responsible for the costs you face because of their negligence. In most cases, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will be the one paying for the medical bills, property damage, lost income, pain, and suffering you’ve experienced.
Distracted driving is one of the most common forms of negligence, and there are many ways to prove that the other driver was responsible for your crash. Ultimately, an injured person’s attorney can look at police reports, talk to witnesses, and gather other forms of evidence to show that the driver’s recklessness led to the accident.
If you’ve been injured by a negligent driver, make sure you fully understand how much the crash will cost you. An attorney will also be able to help you calculate your damages, so you can be sure you aren’t taken advantage of by an insurance company.
If You’ve Been Injured, Contact Berg Injury Lawyers
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California car accident lawyers have years of experience holding at-fault drivers responsible for the damages they’ve caused our clients. If you’d like to speak to an attorney at no cost, contact our team today for a free, no-obligation case review.
How Common Are Wrong Way Accidents?
| March 22nd, 2021
Every year in the U.S., 300 to 400 people die in wrong way accidents. One out of every 100 vehicle fatalities happens in these types of crashes.
Statewide, an average of 225 wrong way collisions happen every year just on freeways and expressways alone in California.
Wrong way accidents occur when a driver enters a one-way road traveling the wrong direction and causes a crash with a vehicle traveling the correct way. The most severe wrong way accidents typically occur when a driver enters an exit or entrance ramp traveling the wrong direction, but these crashes can also happen on one-way streets in urban and residential areas.
Negligence-Related Wrong Way Crashes
When a driver travels the wrong way on an entrance ramp, exit ramp, or one-way street, there could be several contributing factors, including:
- Impairment (drugs or alcohol)
- Distraction
- Unfamiliarity with a location
It’s up to each driver to make sure they’re following the rules of the road. This means staying sober and focused behind the wheel, in addition to paying close attention to the traffic signs and signals placed around intersections.
In most cases, signs and signals are adequate enough to alert drivers that they’re turning the wrong way on roads. However, the visibility and placement of signage can also make wrong way accidents more likely.
How Infrastructure Contributes to Wrong Way Accidents
The way that intersections are built and signs are erected can also contribute to the occurrence of wrong way accidents. A few examples include:
- Failure to clearly mark ramps
- Failure to place signs clearly or in locations where signs are fully reflective at night
- Missing signs
- Improper ramp design
- Low sign visibility due to obstruction by buildings, vegetation, or other objects
Though infrastructure can be a contributing factor to wrong way accidents in California, the state is taking steps to make our roads as safe as possible.
In July 2020, Caltrans and the UC Davis Advanced Highway Maintenance and Construction Technology Research Center released two reports detailing ways to prevent wrong way accidents.
The findings came after the completion of a three-year pilot study in which different methods of wrong way accident prevention were implemented on designated roads in California. The pilot study tried strategies including:
- Two-way reflective pavement markers that show white or yellow to right way drivers, and red to wrong way drivers
- “Wrong Way” signs at the off-ramp
- “Do Not Enter” signs equipped with LED lights flashing 24 hours a day
- Active monitoring systems that use radar to detect wrong way drivers and LED signs that activated when a wrong way driver entered the ramp.
The implementation of reflectors resulted in a 44% decrease in wrong way accidents on one stretch of road, leading Caltrans to install reflective markers on hundreds of miles of highways in the state.
As California takes steps to address infrastructure shortcomings that make wrong way accidents more likely, it’s up to drivers to do their part in keeping our roads safe.
If You Need Legal Help, Contact Us
At Berg Injury Lawyers, our California car accident lawyers have years of experience holding negligent drivers responsible, including those who cause wrong way accidents. If you’d like to speak to our team, contact us today for a free, no-obligation case assessment.
Can You File a Lawsuit for Defective Mechanic Work?
| March 8th, 2021
If you trusted a mechanic to fix your vehicle only to get it back with the same or new problems, you’re likely wondering if the harm they’ve done to it opens them up to liability, especially if you got into an accident because of that faulty repair job. This happens more often than you might suspect, and there’s a clear answer to your question.
You can sue a mechanic if they were negligent in repairing or servicing your vehicle and that negligence resulted in damage to you or your vehicle. Of course, this means proving that the mechanic failed to do their job with a reasonable standard of care.
Proving Negligence on the Part of a Mechanic
It’s important to show a direct causation of the mechanic’s faulty work to the damages you experienced. In other words, it’s not enough to say that the mechanic worked on your vehicle and then you were involved in a crash. You must demonstrate that the mechanic’s work was the direct cause of your crash, injuries, or property damage.
Attorneys representing clients filing lawsuits typically have many potential ways to prove this. For example, they might have a crash expert or another reputable mechanic examine the vehicle, along with the circumstances of the crash, and connect the dots needed to prove the mechanic’s failure to repair or service your vehicle with a reasonable standard of care caused the crash.
Remember that the intentions of the mechanic are irrelevant to the case you’re making when seeking compensation for your damages. Personal injury lawsuits aren’t seeking to prove that the allegedly at-fault party (the defendant) deliberately meant to impair your vehicle’s performance or to cause you harm. You’re simply asserting that the mechanic made a mistake or acted carelessly, and that those actions resulted in your injuries.
How Mechanics Get It Wrong
Mechanics can make any number of mistakes when working on a vehicle. Careless actions by a mechanic can include:
- Failure to fix an existing problem
- Introducing another vehicular problem while repairing the original one
- Using the wrong part on a vehicle
- Failing to properly reassemble vehicle parts after a repair
These are just a few examples of auto repair negligence. There are many scenarios that could make a mechanic liable for the damages suffered by an injury victim.
Considerations After Possible Auto Repair Negligence
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, and you suspect that a mechanic’s negligence is responsible, remember that preserving the evidence will be key to proving your case. Don’t attempt to fix your vehicle without first consulting an attorney, so they can document the condition of your vehicle at the time of the crash.
Make sure you seek medical treatment as soon as possible after your injury occurs. Personal injury lawsuits are only successful when clear damages have been suffered by the person filing the suit. If you don’t establish that you’ve suffered injuries, you’ll have no damages on which to base your claim.
Contacting an attorney as soon as possible after your crash will help ensure that you do what’s needed to build a solid case while also helping you avoid common pitfalls people encounter when filing lawsuits.
Need Legal Help for an Auto Repair Negligence Case? Get Berg!
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we have years of experience representing injury victims throughout Northern California. To schedule a free consultation, contact our California car accident lawyers today.
How Long Do You Have to Report an Accident in California?
| February 8th, 2021
According to the California Department of Insurance, you’re required to report a traffic accident to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days of the crash IF there’s an injury or if damage to the vehicle(s) involved is greater than $750.
If you don’t report the crash to the DMV, your license might be suspended. You may also face other difficulties if you delay reporting the crash to the authorities. That includes difficulty getting much-needed compensation from insurance companies for your vehicle repairs and medical expenses.
Insurance companies could use your delay as evidence that your injuries aren’t serious. And the longer you wait to report the crash, the longer you must wait for the compensation you’re owed.
Instead of waiting to report a crash, it’s best to do so immediately. Let’s look at the other steps you should consider after a car accident in California.
The Steps You Take After a Crash Are Crucial
What you do (and don’t do) after a crash can have serious legal, health-related, and insurance-related consequences. If you’re ever involved in a crash, following these tips can help ensure you don’t face unnecessary complications.
Call the Police Right Away
Though you technically have 10 days to report a crash, it’s best practice to notify the authorities of a crash as soon as it occurs. Having a police officer arrive at the scene of the crash to fill out a report while the vehicles are still on the scene makes a big difference when it comes to getting the payment you’ll need from insurance companies.
While You Wait, Say as Little as Possible
While you wait for the police, be careful of what you say to others. Even if you simply apologize or make any other innocent statement out of politeness, your words could be used against you. There’s no need to be rude, but it’s in your best interest to be matter-of-fact when you speak to others.
Be Careful Dealing With the Police and Insurers
When the police arrive, answer all their questions truthfully and do not offer opinions or speculation. They’ll write up a police report, which you’ll need to file an insurance claim. You can also notify your insurer of the crash. However, you are under no obligation to speak to the other driver’s insurance company. If they contact you, it’s in your best interest NOT to speak to them.
If you’re injured or if you have even the slightest suspicion you’ve been injured, seek medical attention as soon as possible. It’s likely you won’t notice the extent of your injuries immediately after a crash, so err on the side of caution and visit your doctor. Keep copies of all bills, correspondence with insurers or healthcare providers, and any other documents you receive related to the crash.
Protect Your Interests by Speaking With a Lawyer
Consider speaking to an attorney as soon as possible after the accident, especially if you’ve been injured. The other driver’s insurance company might offer you a quick settlement before your medical treatments or diagnoses are complete. These offers are typically far less than you’ll need to cover your crash-related costs, and a lawyer can help you get the compensation you truly deserve.
When You Need Help, Get Berg
The California car accident attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers have years of experience getting injured motorists the compensation they’re entitled to by law. When you need legal help after a crash, we can deal with the insurance companies while you focus on your recovery.
Contact our team today to schedule a free, no-obligation case review. We don’t get paid unless we win you money.
How to Mentally Recover From a Car Accident
| January 18th, 2021
After a car accident, several resources are available to help you deal with the challenges you are going to face. Doctors can diagnose and treat your injuries. Attorneys can help you deal with the insurance company to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Unfortunately, too few people find support for the emotional suffering they’ve experienced after a crash. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve represented countless clients who were seriously injured in car accidents, and we know that some of the biggest challenges crash victims encounter are not the physical or financial, but the emotional consequences of these accidents.
To help you find ways to cope with the mental toll these crashes can pose, we compiled a few strategies that have helped many crash victims.
Find Support in Your Loved Ones
Isolation can make trauma more difficult to cope with. Instead of withdrawing, seek out people who care about you. If you feel like talking about your accident, rely on friends and family to listen. If you’re not ready to discuss your trauma, simply surrounding yourself with loved ones can help bring you to a better place mentally.
Take Solace in Activities You Enjoy
When your thoughts are consumed with unpleasant memories or the stress of dealing with healthcare providers and the insurance company, your favorite hobbies can offer a much-needed reprieve. Schedule large blocks of time to dig into something that brings you joy. If you don’t have a hobby you can get lost in, now is a great time to find an activity that you can do in your spare time.
Put Your Thoughts on a Page
Sometimes the best way to express how you feel is to work through your thoughts in a journal. Whether you want to write openly about the challenges posed by your car accident or something completely unrelated to the crash, taking time out your day to write down your thoughts can improve your mental state and emotional well-being.
A diary describing how your life has been impacted by your injury can also act as helpful evidence if your claim needs to go to trial.
Seek Out Stillness
When you’re suffering stress and anxiety, the best cure is often getting away from the noise and distractions of everyday life. This might mean spending time outdoors or retreating to a quiet place in your own home.
Seek Professional Help
Sometimes seeking professional help is the best way to deal with trauma. If you find that talking to loved ones or journaling about your experiences isn’t helping you recover, consider reaching out to a counselor or therapist who has experience helping people with trauma.
Above All, Be Patient With Yourself
You might be the type of person who wants to resume life as normal as soon as possible after a setback, but it’s important to remember that mentally recovering from a traumatic experience is often a lengthy process. Be patient yourself as you progress and understand that your time and effort will eventually pay off.
When You Need Legal Help After a Crash, Call Us
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we help our clients with the aftermath of car accidents. We fight to get them the compensation they deserve from at-fault drivers and their insurance companies, but we also help them arrange to get the care they need to move forward.
We know that emotional pain and suffering are important in injury claims, which is why we include non-economic damages in the compensation we demand from insurers. If you’d like a free consultation with an experienced, compassionate legal team, contact the California car accident attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers today.
8 Steps in a Personal Injury Case
| December 28th, 2020
If you’ve been injured in a serious car accident and are considering hiring a lawyer, you might want to know the steps in a personal injury case before you’re in the middle of one. The personal injury lawsuit process can seem overwhelming for those who are unfamiliar with it. But unfamiliarity should never deter you from exploring your legal options. That’s because you’re likely owed a significant amount of compensation. If you don’t take advantage of personal injury law, you might end up accepting a fraction of what you deserve. In addition, you won’t go through the process alone, as you’ll have an experienced law firm on your side every step of the way. From hiring a lawyer to resolving a case through settlement or trial, we have outlined eight steps commonly seen in the personal injury lawsuit process:- Hiring a lawyer
- Investigating your case
- Presenting your case
- Receiving a settlement offer
- Negotiating the settlement
- Settling or proceeding to a lawsuit
- Preparing for trial
- Going to trial
BREAKING DOWN THE STEPS IN THE PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT PROCESS
Here are the eight steps in a personal injury case that you should know:- Get a lawyer—As soon as you are able, you should call an experienced law firm to handle your personal injury claim. They will shepherd you through the personal injury lawsuit process from start to finish and be your main advocate in getting the compensation you deserve.
- Investigate your case—The first step your law firm will take on your behalf is investigating the case thoroughly. That includes actions such as analyzing the police report, examining the accident scene, and interviewing any witnesses to the accident.
- Present your case—Once your law firm has built its case, it will present its findings to the insurance company.
- Settlement Offer—The insurance company will do one of two things next. Either they will present a settlement offer based on the case we presented or deny your personal injury claim altogether.
- Negotiation—Typically, the initial offer from the insurance company is not enough to compensate you for the full extent of your injuries. At this stage, we’ll do our best to negotiate a fairer settlement from the insurance company.
- Settlement or lawsuit—If our negotiations yield a fair settlement agreement, we’ll advise you to take it. If not, we’ll take the insurance company to court.
- Trial Preparation—Preparing for a jury trial takes a great deal of time and resources. That’s why we try to settle out of court if possible. Sometimes, that’s not possible and we have to take your claim to the courtroom. We’ll prepare evidence, prep you for what to expect, and file all the necessary paperwork for your day in court.
- Trial—Depending on the complexity of the case, personal injury trials can take as little as one day or as long as a few weeks to be heard and decided. We’ll present our case to the court, and then the insurance company will have its turn. After both sides have presented their cases, the jury will deliberate and come back with a verdict.
Will You Need to Go Through Each Step in Your Personal Injury Case?
No. It’s often true that insurance companies will settle once an attorney shows evidence and proves that their client has a strong case. That’s one of the reasons that most personal injury cases settle without the need for a trial. Insurers know that a drawn-out trial isn’t in their best interest, and they often prefer to write a check and be done with it.Why Step 1 Is Arguably the Most Important Step in a Personal Injury Case
Many people accept the first offer an insurance company makes. Even if they decide to dispute the fairness of the offer themselves, they likely have a limited understanding of how these claims work or how much their case is worth. That’s because personal injury law is incredibly complex, and going it alone without an attorney puts victims at a major disadvantage. Having a lawyer handle your case positions you for a more satisfactory and fair settlement. Your lawyer will not only know the personal injury lawsuit process well, they’ll also know how to deal with insurers on your behalf, allowing you to focus entirely on your recovery. It’s important to hire an attorney who has experience handling these types of cases. Take advantage of free consultations to meet with potential lawyers and get a feel for how they work and how they treat you. You can then choose the attorney you feel most comfortable with. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we believe in our team’s ability to offer exceptional service to our clients. We will fight for maximum compensation in your case. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our firm anytime to schedule a free, no-obligation case assessment.TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN A PERSONAL INJURY CASE—AND GET BERG!
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, we strongly recommend you proceed to step one immediately. The sooner you get an experienced San Francisco car accident attorney on your side, the sooner you can put this accident behind you. We offer free consultations, and you’re under no pressure to proceed if you don’t wish to do so. This blog was originally published in February 2016. It has been updated and enhanced.Legal Options When Injured by a Driver With Just a Permit
| December 21st, 2020
You might already know that you’re entitled to compensation when you’re injured by a negligent driver. You might even know that the payment you’ll receive often comes from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
But what do you do when the driver who hit you has just a permit and not a full license?
It’s an important question because younger drivers are often the most dangerous, simply due to the fact that they have less experience, making them more likely to cause a car accident.
Fortunately, the same rules largely apply to crashes involving a driver with a permit as those where at-fault drivers have a license. As you’ll learn below, the driver should be covered by an insurance policy—even if they only have a driver’s permit.
An Insurance Policy Is Likely Still Covering the Accident
Even when a driver has just a permit, it’s very likely an insurance policy is in place to protect them and anyone they hurt in an accident. That’s because California requires every driver to be covered by insurance. Teen drivers with permits are often covered by their parents’ auto insurance policies. The bare minimum insurance requirements in California are what’s known as 15/30/5 requirements. That means a policy must have:- $15,000 per person for bodily injury coverage,
- $30,000 per accident for bodily injury coverage,
- and $5,000 for property damage coverage.
If You’ve Been Injured in a Car Accident, We Can Help
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we help injured people get the payment they deserve when they were hurt by someone else’s negligence. We can review your case in a free consultation to help you better understand your legal options if you’ve been injured by a driver with a permit. Contact the California car accident attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free case assessment with our team.California Will Halt Sales of Gas-Powered Cars by 2035
| November 2nd, 2020
By 2035, all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California must be zero-emission vehicles, according to a September 23 press release from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Though California is the first state in the U.S. to enact such a law, it’s joining 15 countries, including Germany and France, that have also vowed to phase out gasoline-powered cars.
Why Is California Taking This Step?
California has long been a leading state in the U.S. for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. After a difficult year of wildfires, air pollution, and mass dislocation, this initiative aims to reduce the effects of gas-powered vehicles on California’s environmental well-being. As Newsom said in his press release: “Californians shouldn’t have to worry if our cars are giving our kids asthma. Our cars shouldn’t make wildfires worse – and create more days filled with smoky air. Cars shouldn’t melt glaciers or raise sea levels threatening our cherished beaches and coastlines.” Newsom states the new rule will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 35% in California.Can You Still Own a Gas-Powered Vehicle After This Rules Goes into Effect?
Yes, the rule doesn’t prevent California residents from owning or driving gas-powered vehicles, nor does it prevent used gas-powered vehicles from being sold in California. It simply stops sales of new gasoline-powered passenger cars and trucks within the state. The governor has also told state agencies to develop more charging stations throughout the state to accommodate the increased number of electric vehicles.Does This Rule Face Any Opposition?
The stop-sales rule will likely be contested in one form or another. The federal government could challenge the rule in courts. It’s also possible that other legal challenges could be issued within the state, particularly if leadership changes hands in California and the new state government chooses to reverse the decision between now and the 2035 deadline.Fracking Is Also Mentioned in the Governor’s Order
Newsom also ordered California’s legislature to eliminate new fracking licenses by 2024. Fracking is the process of injecting high-pressure mixtures of chemicals and other substances into shale rock to extract oil and gas. Some environmental safety advocates say that Newsom’s order is meant to address criticism of his administration’s willingness to give permits to companies that drill and frack. By setting a new fracking license deadline of 2024, these advocates suggest that Newsom is passing that task on to his successor.Are Electric Cars Safe for Drivers?
Because gasoline-powered vehicles contain much more combustible fuel than electric vehicles, safety advocates generally believe that electric cars are safer than their gas-guzzling counterparts. However, electric vehicles do contain lithium-ion batteries, which have proven dangerous in laptops, phones, and other consumer products. The safety of California’s next generation of electric vehicles depends on the standards set by vehicle manufacturers. It’s important for these companies to prioritize safety in their efforts to meet California’s new standards.If You Need Legal Help After a Crash in California, Let Us Help
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve helped California residents with many different types of vehicle-related injuries. Whether you want to hold a negligent driver or a negligent vehicle manufacturer accountable for the damages you’ve suffered, we can help. Contact a California car accident attorney at Berg Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation.Intersection Crash Statistics EVERY California Driver Should Read
| October 26th, 2020
Knowing the dangers you face every day on California’s roads can make you a safer, more conscientious driver. It might surprise you to learn that one of the most dangerous and common dangers is something you probably encounter every day: intersections.
Intersections, both those with traffic signals and stop signs, present unique dangers to motorists. Though most people rarely consider these dangers, doing so can help ensure drivers know how to identify and avoid risks.
The following statistics illustrate just how dangerous intersections are.
National Intersection-Related Crash Statistics
- About 40% of crashes in the U.S. are intersection-related.
- Intersection-related crash deaths account for more than 20% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. every year.
- Around 96% of intersection-related crashes had contributing factors related to driver behavior.
- Nearly one-fifth of intersection-related fatalities involve motorcycles.
- Around 41% of pedestrian collisions occur at roadway intersections.
- Each year, an average of around 31% of intersection-related deaths occur at intersections controlled by traffic signals, and around 38% occur at intersections with stop signs.
Annual Intersection Crash Deaths by California County
In California, the most heavily populated counties have the highest intersection-related crash deaths. Here is the average number of crash deaths involving intersections for 10 of the most populous counties in California:- Los Angeles County has an average of 259 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- San Diego County has an average of 2 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- Orange County has an average of 4 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- Riverside County has an average of 4 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- San Bernardino County has an average of 6 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- Santa Clara County has an average of 6 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- Alameda County has an average of 6 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- Sacramento County has an average of 38 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- Contra Costa County has an average of 6 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
- Fresno County has an average of 8 intersection-related crash deaths each year.
Why These Numbers Matter
Intersection crashes are common and deadly. For some of our most vulnerable road users, including motorcyclists and pedestrians, they’re even more lethal. The more drivers understand how important safety is when passing through intersections, the more we can expect these numbers to improve.Intersection Safety Tips
- Never assume that cross-traffic won’t be an issue when your light is green. Many intersection crashes occur when a driver runs a red light.
- Never assume a pedestrian sees you coming. Always yield to pedestrians and drive slowly in heavily walked areas.
- When turning left, remember that oncoming motorcycles might be traveling faster than they appear.
- If turning right at a red light, be sure the vehicle in front of you turns safely before you accelerate. This will help you avoid rear-end collisions.
- Always come to a complete stop at stop signs, and make sure you wait your turn at four-way stops.
