Car Crash Statistics in Los Angeles

Evidence collected in a comprehensive study conducted by the LA Times suggests motorists across the United States became more reckless during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reckless behavior such as speeding, driving while intoxicated, and not wearing a seatbelt caused most of the serious car accident injuries in 2020 and 2021. After several years of promoting safety initiatives, California experienced a five percent increase in traffic fatalities in 2020. In 2015, Los Angeles political leaders introduced an initiative called Vision Zero, which intended to eliminate traffic fatalities on area roads and highways by 2025. More than halfway through the length of the initiative, traffic fatalities in LA County have risen, not decreased.

In 2021, Los Angeles County reported more than 40,000 motor vehicle collisions, with nearly 11 percent of the crashes resulting in death or serious injury. LA County reported an increase in several types of car accidents, such as a rise in the number of DUI crashes that resulted in at least one serious injury. Hit-and-run car accidents also jumped by a substantial number, as did the number of motor vehicle collisions that seriously hurt at least one bicyclist or pedestrian. 

When you meet with a car accident lawyer from Morgan and Morgan for a free case evaluation, the first item on the agenda involves determining the cause of the car accident that produced one or more injuries. Determining the cause of a motor vehicle collision allows your personal injury attorney to decide whether negligence played a role in causing you harm.

Reckless Behavior

Although speeding remains the most common type of reckless behavior that leads to auto crashes, our car accident lawyers also handle cases involving other types of reckless behavior. One of the common types of reckless behavior that is unique to Los Angeles concerns drivers moving in and out of a carpool lane. Another common type of reckless behavior is ignoring stop signs and traffic signals. Running a red light can cause a side-impact crash, which can produce severe, even life-threatening injuries.

To demonstrate another party exhibited reckless behavior, the car accident lawyer that you hire from Morgan and Morgan must collect persuasive physical evidence, such as the footage captured by a traffic and/or security camera.

Distractions

Operating a motor vehicle in Los Angeles County is dangerous enough without drivers failing to pay attention to what unfolds in front, behind, and around their motor vehicles. Distractions that lead to auto crashes include eating a meal, reaching for an item in the glove compartment, and taking in the many natural wonders that define the Southern California landscape. Texting and driving has overcome other types of distractions to represent the most common type of distraction. Turning their head for just a split second to read a text message puts motorists in danger of causing a collision.

Despite a California law prohibiting texting and driving, an overwhelming number of drivers continue to participate in the dangerous practice.

Driving While Intoxicated

It is difficult enough to navigate congested LA County roads and highways without operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Driving while intoxicated dramatically slows down the reaction times of motorists, which makes it difficult to adapt to changing road conditions. Impaired drivers also make poor operating decisions, such as suddenly moving into a carpool lane to avoid traffic congestion. Proving another driver caused an auto crash while intoxicated requires the submission of a sobriety test, the statements provided by witnesses, and if possible, traffic and/or security camera footage.

How you respond in the immediate aftermath of a motor vehicle collision determines the likelihood of an insurance company approving a claim.

Call 911

Unless you get involved in a minor fender bender, the first step to take after a car accident is to call 911 to activate the local emergency response system. Calling 911 alerts the nearest law enforcement agency about the collision. Law enforcement officers perform two important tasks after a motor vehicle collision, with the first task securing the accident scene. After taking measures to keep other motorists and passengers safe, the law enforcement officers responding to your vehicle collision conduct a thorough investigation. The investigation leads to the filing of a formal police report, which is the most important document to file with an insurance claim. Your car accident lawyer also refers to the official police report to determine what caused the auto crash.

Get Your Injuries Treated

The medical team that responds to the car accident determines whether you need emergency medical care to treat your injuries. Even if you feel healthy enough to remain at the scene of the auto crash to gather additional evidence and obtain the names and contact information of witnesses, you should eventually receive medical care. If you delay seeking medical attention, the insurance company processing your claim might question the severity of the vehicle collision. You also should receive medical care to determine whether you sustained any injuries, such as whiplash or a concussion, that develop delayed symptoms.

Meet With a Car Accident Lawyer From Morgan and Morgan

Contact a car accident lawyer from Morgan and Morgan before you file an insurance claim. Far too many insurance companies take advantage of policyholders who do not retain legal representation during the claim filing process. For example, your insurance company might trick you into signing a waiver of liability to reduce how much you can receive in compensation. If you do not hire a car accident lawyer to help you file an insurance claim, the insurance adjuster might deny a valid claim or approve a claim for a value that is well below what you deserve.

Each state has established a deadline for filing a civil lawsuit that seeks monetary damages. Most states have set a deadline to take legal action between two and four years, although a few states have established a deadline as long as six years and as short as one year. California gives plaintiffs two years to file the proper documents that initiate a personal injury lawsuit. The clock starts to tick on filing a personal injury lawsuit on the date of the car accident. However, you might receive an extension if you sustained one or more injuries that developed delayed symptoms.

Although two years seems like more than enough time to file a personal injury lawsuit, you should take legal action as quickly as possible after a motor vehicle collision for two reasons. First, with medical bills rapidly mounting, you need to recover from financial losses as quickly as possible. Unless your healthcare providers agree to a medical lien arrangement, you can fall into a deep financial hole without having a sufficient source of income to cover medical expenses. Second, your car accident lawyer needs to speak with witnesses as soon as possible after the car accident to obtain the most accurate version of what transpired before, during, and after the auto crash.

If you fail to file a personal injury lawsuit before the expiration of the statute of limitations, you can expect the court clerk processing your lawsuit to dismiss it.

At Morgan and Morgan, our car accident lawyers work with clients from the day of the free case evaluation to the day when a case gets resolved. You can expect responsive communication, as well as the legal support of a car accident lawyer who is willing to negotiate a favorable settlement to avoid a costly and time-consuming trial.

Do not become a car crash statistic in Los Angeles. Schedule a free case evaluation today with Morgan and Morgan.