People who live and drive in Los Angeles and its suburbs understand that the area’s many streets and freeways are especially hazardous. Car accidents on LA streets range from relatively harmless fender-benders to multi-death collisions, and they are common occurrences. Now a recent study has documented the intuitive belief of most LA drivers: the city’s streets contain more dangerous intersections than any other city in the state.
The study used 2015 data from the California Highway Patrol’s “Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System” to study every intersection in the state that was the site of 10 or more collisions in one year. Of the 444 most dangerous intersections studied, 221 or almost exactly 50% are in the City of Los Angeles. Eight of the 10 most dangerous intersections in the state are within the Los Angeles City limits, mostly in the San Fernando Valley. Not surprisingly, only 39 intersections that were the site of 10 or more crashes were located outside of Southern California.
The study’s authors build a “danger score” for every intersection that they studied. The score was based upon the number of accidents at the intersection and the number of injuries and deaths at each intersection. The disproportionate number of dangerous intersections in Los Angeles was attributed mainly to the large number of cars using the City’s streets. The study’s authors also concluded that most Sothern California streets are designed with the principal purpose of moving large numbers of vehicles as quickly as possible. The high traffic density and the increased speed of traffic reduces the margin for error for drivers who make mistakes behind the wheel.
These statistics also lead to another conclusion: Los Angeles streets and intersections produce a disproportionate number of injuries and deaths when compared with the rest of the state. Anyone who has been injured or lost a loved one in a traffic accident may wish to consult a lawyer who specializes in traffic accident cases. A knowledgeable attorney can provide an analysis of the case and an estimate of the likelihood of recovering damages for medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering.
Source: laist.com, “L.A.’s Streets Are By Far The Most Dangerous To Drive On In California,” Matt Tinoco, Nov. 11, 2016
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