If you are like most people who live and drive in California, you take your responsibility to operate a vehicle safely very seriously. Unfortunately, there are still enough people out there who do not seem to respect their own safety, let alone the safety of others. These drivers make irresponsible and negligent choices when driving as well as before driving. These choices can be the cause of serious and even fatal accidents.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s records, alcohol and excessive speed continue to claim many lives on California roads and highways. In 2017, alcohol was a contributing factor in 31 percent of all vehicular deaths statewide. In the previous four years, alcohol was found to be involved in between 27 percent and 29 percent of all fatalities. In Orange County specifically, alcohol was a factor in more than 26 percent of deaths in 2017.
Speeding also plays a role in many fatal accidents. Statewide, it claimed the lives of 1,070 people in 2017 alone. This represents almost 30 percent of all accident fatalities in California. In Orange County, driving over the posted speed limit or too fast for conditions was a factor in more than 26 percent of the county’s 178 vehicular deaths that year.
If you would like to learn more about the risks faced by you and your loved ones on the road and how to get help after being involved in an accident caused by another driver’s negligence, please feel free to visit the vehicle crash assistance page of our California personal injury website.