San Bernardino Car Accidents Take Their Toll on the I-15 Highway

The deadliest road in the US for car accidents is San Bernardino's I-15, which claimed 346 lives in just five years. So says a FOXNews.com five-year analysis of car crash reports, which went on to indict California as having four of the nation's top 10 most dangerous roads.

Many blame these fatalities on I-15's wide, straight design, which tends to lull people into a false sense of safety. Drivers get bored and speed up along the 75 miles stretch of highway. Alcohol also plays a role in this highway's lethal car crashes. Drivers coming from Vegas after partying all night have been killed or injured. Recently, two people lost their lives when their car crashed into water barrels lining the freeway. Even the heat seems to factor in I-15's dubious distinction. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) reported that, in 2004, an alarming number of SUVs crashed on hot days as drivers headed to Las Vegas.

"To have this many car accident fatalities on a single stretch of highway is unconscionable," noted John Bisnar a respected car accident attorney. "It's obvious from these tragic car accident statistics that something must be done to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on this lethal highway. Pro-active steps must be taken by drivers and law enforcement. Frequent checkpoints in specially designated areas and more aggressive policing would help. Radar speed checks would cut down on speeders. Law enforcement--and even concerned citizens traveling this highway--should be ever-vigilant for DUIs and other impaired drivers."

According to the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Traffic Reporting System, in 2006, there were 29 car accident deaths in the city of San Bernardino and 1,106 traffic accident related injuries. In San Bernardino County as a whole, car accidents contributed to 351 fatalities and 10,842 injuries during the same period. Alcohol related car collisions accounted for 133 fatalities and 1,202 injuries countywide with 13 fatalities and 118 injuries in the city. Teenage drivers have also lost their lives and been severely injured in San Bernardino car crashes.

"A study released by Allstate Insurance revealed that San Bernardino was ranked among the worst for teenage car crash fatalities in California and 13th nationwide," said John Bisnar. "For every 100,000 teenage collisions, an estimated 30 fatalities occurred in the area. As recently as 2007, 35 teens were killed and 1,765 were injured in car crashes in San Bernardino County. A total of 158 car crashes occurred where the driver was drinking and under 21, resulting in 10 fatalities and 245 injuries."

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.