Dangerous Driving Habits and Traffic Increases Roadway Risk

Dangerous Driving Habits and Traffic Increases Roadway Risk

Driving Errors and Traffic Accidents

Traffic accidents are a matter of concern to all Californians. Since about 94 percent of accidents are caused by driver error, knowing the causes, enforcement of the law and working toward reducing accidents is to everyone’s benefit. Recognizing what constitutes dangerous driving habits and correcting them can lead to a lower number of collisions and resulting in injuries and deaths.

Increased Traffic in Loomis Can Cause More Accidents

As new stores and shopping centers go up, the increased traffic they bring can make an area more dangerous for drivers. In addition, drivers may be hurried and not take proper precautions in parking lots. For example, discussions have been going on between Costco and local concerned residents for some time about the planned construction of one of the popular stores, along with a gasoline station. Local residents are unsure how this new business will impact traffic and county roads. It is believed that the increased traffic may damage county roads and will, of course, increase the number of motor vehicles. Costco is expected to begin on the project in the fall with completion of the construction expected in the spring.

California Statistics on Traffic Safety

The California Office of Traffic Safety conducts annual surveys to better understand what actions drivers are doing that can lead to a collision. Major concerns of motorists about roadway safety include speeding and other types of aggressive driving, texting and talking on cell phones and bad road surfaces. Following are some of the responses given by motorists to questions regarding safety in 2016:

  • 11.4 percent admitted to having texting regularly while driving within the past 30 days. 12.4 percent admitted to doing it sometimes.
  • When it came to talking on a cell phone while driving, 35.9 percent said they did it on a regular basis, while 20.9 percent admitted they did it sometimes. When asked if they had committed a driving error while talking on a cell phone, 43.9 percent said they had.
  • During the past six-month period, only 6.6 percent admitted to driving when they were drunk, and almost one-quarter said they always had a designated driver when out drinking.
  • Speeding, which is a major cause of traffic accidents, got a surprising response when 59.5 percent of the respondents said it was okay to drive 10 mph over the speed limit. Those who said it was okay to speed 20 mph over the limit accounted for 7.6 percent.

Injuries in a Motor Vehicle Accident

The force of a collision, speed of the vehicles, and additional factors can influence the type of injuries. They may include:

  • Broken bones: These injuries can range from simple to compound fractures or the type where the bone is broken in numerous places. Trauma from motor vehicle accidents is one of the most common causes of broken bones.
  • Abdominal trauma. This type of injury ranges from bruising, soreness and bleeding internally to organ damage.
  • Chest injuries: Injuries to the chest can cause massive bruising, broken ribs or a punctured lung. In some instances, the heart is bruised.
  • Head injuries: Injuries to the head or brain may range from minor to traumatic brain injury, which can result in permanent damage, requiring lifelong care. The highest number of fatalities from TBIs occur in motor vehicle collisions.
  • Spinal damage: Back and spinal injuries may be mild or severe and can cause serious problems including partial or complete paralysis, depending on the location.
  • Burns: Fortunately, burn injuries are not as common in a motor vehicle accident as other types. However, severe burn injuries can be life-threatening and require expert care and can leave unsightly scarring.

Loomis Car Accident Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Loomis car accident lawyer. Motor vehicle accidents cause many injuries and fatalities each year. When your accident injuries were caused by a negligent driver or entity, you can be entitled to just compensation. Please call me at (916) 921-6400 for free, friendly advice. I can also be reached at (800) 404-5400 or through my online contact form.

As a Million Dollar Forum member, I join other trial attorneys who have won an amount in excess of one million dollars for a client.

Throughout my over 36 year career as an injury lawyer, I’ve helped numerous residents of Loomis and the rest of Northern California to obtain compensation for serious injuries, including all types of car accidents.

Find out more about my law practice by reading client reviews and looking over a list of some of our previous cases at:

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