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4 Reasons Accidents Happen in Los Angeles


— August 11, 2022

Frustrated drivers can become angry and reckless, making wrong choices that lead to collisions.


Los Angeles can be a challenging place to drive. With so many cars on the road, LA is one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S when it comes to injuries and traffic fatalities. When it comes to traffic, the threat of car accidents is always there, even for people born and raised in LA.

In 2021, there was an increase in these types of LA accidents:

  • DUI crashes
  • Fatal DUI crashes
  • Severe hit-and-run accident
  • Fatal hit-and-run accident
  • Accidents in which a driver killed a bicyclist
  • Accidents in which a driver seriously injured a bicyclist
  • Accidents in which a driver seriously injured a pedestrian

The leading causes of car accidents in LA are not surprising. However, accident lawyers can help you seek the compensation you deserve if you get injured, and it wasn’t your fault. Let’s go over the four main reasons for car accidents and what you can do to prevent them.

Speeding 

One of the most apparent causes of car accidents is speeding. There will always be delays when people want to get to work or appointments on time. This leads to heavy traffic so that other drivers might force their way through the crowd and tailgate other drivers. 

When you’re too close to another car, you increase the risk of collision because other drivers in the back might not stop in time to avoid the crash. 

Speeding and driving too fast can cause collisions and fatal accidents. In fact, in 2021, LA had the highest death rate in almost two decades, with a 22% increase from 2020. At the same time, when the road opens up and there’s less traffic, many drivers try to drive aggressively by making up for the time they lost before, so they drive over the speed limit. 

Drugs and Alcohol

People who drive drunk or under the influence of other drugs can cause deadly crashes in LA. It doesn’t matter if the driver took prescription medication, allergy pills, illegal street drugs, or legal cannabis. A person doesn’t have to be entirely drunk to have impairment from alcohol. 

If you or another driver is under the influence of other medications, that can also slow the reflexes, which may lead to a collision. If you get in an accident due to one of these factors, you need to talk to Los Angeles DUI lawyers right away, while you can take legal action against the person who injured you.

Distracted Driving

Sadly, many people aren’t serious when it comes to driving. They text or talk on their phones, pick things up, use the GPS app, eat and drink, apply makeup, and the list goes on. Considering how Los Angeles is a packed and challenging place to drive, you would assume that people would pay better attention to the traffic, but that’s far from the truth.

These activities divert their attention and eyes from the road and traffic in front of them, leading to collisions that may be fatal. 

Road Construction

Bridge construction; image by Renato Marques, via Unsplash.com.
Bridge construction; image by Renato Marques, via Unsplash.com.

Many people are on the road, so there’s no ideal time to improve or maintain the streets. Being one of the most frequented cities in the U.S, you can encounter many road constructions while in LA. 

Unfortunately, road construction is one of the leading causes of car accidents. When lanes close due to construction, it forces drivers to merge into other lanes and causes unnecessary accidents.

Frustrated drivers can become angry and reckless, making wrong choices that lead to collisions. Suppose you ever find yourself in that position. In that case, you need to take legal action and contact an attorney immediately to avoid losing valuable time by trying to resolve the issue with the other party who caused the crash.

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