Car Accidents Make Los Angeles a Dangerous Place to Drive

Due to numerous car accidents, drivers take a bigger risk navigating the roads and highways of Los Angeles than any other city in California. It's not just that so many Angelinos own a car, the City of the Angeles just happens to have more places where car accidents are just waiting to happen. The numbers bear this out. According to traffic collision data reported by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, there were 50,317 auto collisions of all categories and types reported in the city of Los Angeles in 2002.

"A Caltrans Report says it all," noted John Bisnar of BISNAR | CHASE LLP. "Los Angeles was ranked number one on a list of California cities where one might suffer a car accident. The study confirmed that Los Angeles has the most car accident locations in California--with a total of 400 accident sites. The Caltrans' '5 Percent Report,' answered a federal mandate that required all states to look into locations that have the highest car accident rates. The report drew its conclusions based on auto accident statistics that covered a two year period from 2004 to 2006."

A total of 19 city intersections with the worst car accident records contributed to the rising tide in traffic accidents throughout Los Angeles. In their analysis, planners identified 39 troublesome intersections. They included the Valley intersection--at the corner of Parthenia Street and Reseda Boulevard in Northridge--which saw the most car accidents in a 12-month period. Two other Los Angeles intersections had more car accidents: the corner of Adams Boulevard and La Brea Avenue in the Mid-City area, with 28; and the corner of Highland Avenue and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, with 24. Both have unusually high traffic volumes. The Valley's larger streets and longer stretches between stop lights allowed drivers to cross these intersections at higher speeds, which contributed to an increased accident rate as cars sped through.

The most egregious offenders were:

Parthenia St. and Reseda Blvd.

Canoga Ave. and Roscoe Blvd.

Reseda Blvd. and Sherman Way

Sherman Way and Winnetka Ave.

Van Nuys Blvd. and Victory Blvd.

Canoga Ave. and Victory Blvd.

Coldwater Cyn. Ave. and Sherman Way

Roscoe Blvd. and Winnetka Ave.

The solutions were varied and ranged from high tech to basic street improvements. They included adjusting traffic-light timing and installing left-turn signals to trimming trees, re-striping crosswalks and installing new signs. License plate cameras were installed at some intersections to catch red-light violators. Others intersections were brought under control with increased ticket-writing to reduce auto accidents.

Even with all these improvements, Los Angels is a city where one can't be too careful. Every day, drivers are seriously injured on crowded and aging freeways, intersections and streets. And although cars have air bags and mandated seatbelts, people's lives are still irrevocably altered by car accidents in the city.

Los Angeles Office

Be on the Hit-and-Run Lookout

BISNAR | CHASE, in conjunction with WeTip, a leading anonymous crime reporting service and law enforcement advocacy non-profit organization, is launching a program intended to wipe out hit-and-runs in the state of California by offering rewards for tips leading to the arrest and felony conviction of hit-and-run drivers. See Hit-and-Run Reward for more details.

BISNAR | CHASE 2006-2010 Super Lawyers names outstanding lawyers from more than 60 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. BISNAR | CHASE has received this award for five consecutive years. Brian Chase was named one of the 2010 Top 50 Orange County Lawyers.