Personal InjuryBaldwin Park Car Accidents Linked to Red-Light Scofflaws
Baldwin Park in Los Angeles County, California lies in the middle of the San Gabriel Valley cornered by two major Freeways--the 605 and the 10. Add a sizeable population of over 81,000 and most Baldwin Park car accident lawyers will intimate that car collisions are unavoidable, and that car accidents caused by red-light running have become a problem.
Fatal Car Accidents Plague Baldwin Park
Between 2001 through 2003, Baldwin Park suffered 16 fatal car accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While still troubling, at 2.1 fatal Baldwin Park car crashes per 10,000 people, these car accident numbers fall below the national norm.
Baldwin Park car accident statistics gathered by the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) in 2006, showed that four people died and 302 were injured in Baldwin Park car collisions. DUI drivers caused one death and 36 crash injuries. Pedestrian car accidents resulted in two deaths and 17 injuries. Bicycle accidents injured 14 and motorcycle crashes injured 21.
In 2007, three car collisions resulted in three fatalities in the Baldwin Park. Also in 2007, nearly 900 people were killed and an estimated 153,000 were injured in red-light running accidents across the U.S. In addition, half of the deaths caused by red-light runners were occupants in other vehicles and pedestrians.
Red-Light Runners Cause Tragic Car Collision
Over the years, some interesting statistics have emerged regarding the typical red-light runner. They tend to be younger drivers under 30 years of age (male or female). They also have poor driving records with a number of speeding convictions. And they usually drive smaller, older cars and fail to "buckle up."
Because they deal with car accidents on a regular basis, Baldwin Park car collision lawyers say that a high percentage of the city's crashes are caused by drivers who will blast through a red light at an intersection. To help prevent tragic car collisions in the city, Baldwin Park installed red-light cameras at some of its most dangerous intersections. According to Baldwin Park Police Department's Traffic Bureau, most red-light violations occurred at Baldwin Park and Ramona Boulevards. The city has also installed seven cameras and violation sensors at five of other highest-risk intersections. These include Merced and Puente, Pacific and Puente, Puente and Francisquito, and Romona and Francisquito. Police said that a number of drivers simply ignore the red lights.
As of May 2008, red-light cameras are poised to catch scofflaws at 175 intersections throughout Los Angeles County and hundreds more across the United States. In April 2009, over 400 cities have adopted red-light cameras and speed cameras in over 40 jurisdictions across the U.S.
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