Dangerous Traffic Violations in Davis
I’m Ed Smith, a Davis personal injury lawyer. Auto accidents are sometimes unavoidable and occur because of a factor outside of the control of drivers involved in the crash. However, many collisions are directly caused by reckless actions taken by a motorist. Drivers who break the law by ignoring right-of-way, speed limits and other regulations increase the chances of a traumatic crash for everyone on the roadway. Traffic law violations lead to thousands of serious injury crashes in California every year, and Davis is no exception. The types of traffic violations that commonly cause accident injuries in Davis as well as information about the dangers and consequences of those violations are included in the following article.
Most Common Violations
Statistics taken from the University of California show that 2,223 injury-related Davis crashes were caused by traffic violations during 2006-2017. The leading abuses that were reported as the primary causal factor for traumatic crashes in Davis were ranked as follows:
- Driving at unsafe speeds (765 crashes accounting for 34.41 percent of the total number of accidents)
- Right-of-way violations (397 crashes at 17.86 percent)
- Improper turning (277 crashes at 12.46 percent)
- Driving or Bicycling under the influence of drugs or alcohol (140 accidents at 6.3 percent)
- Traffic light and sign violations (134 crashes at 17.86 percent)
Violations that were less common included unsafe lane changing, driving on the wrong side of the roadway, dangerous starting or backing up, tailgating, improper vehicle passing, issues with lights and/or brakes, and more.
Speeding and Accidents
Driving a car at high speeds is dangerous for multiple reasons. Vehicles that are traveling at high speeds are more difficult to control. When cars are going fast, they take longer to stop, and drivers are often unable to make sudden accident-avoidance turns. Speeding cars are also more likely to lose traction with the ground when roads are wet.
Speeding is dangerous because it adds force to the impact of a crash. Crashes that involve vehicles driving at high speeds tend to cause more severe injuries. An accident that may have been non-severe otherwise can become critical and even fatal when a driver is speeding.
Drunk Driving
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has estimated that nearly one-third of all fatal crashes are caused by DUI motorists. In Davis, 47 percent of fatal car accidents that took place over the last 12 years was the fault of an intoxicated driver. Moreover, Davis DUI collisions are nearly eight times more likely to cause a fatal injury than other types of crashes.
More by Ed Smith, Davis Personal Injury Lawyer
Davis Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Davis personal injury lawyer. Crashes can be the cause of lasting injuries. If you’ve been hurt in a crash, contact me to get free, friendly professional advice about your case. To call, use either (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400. Also, I am available online at AutoAccident.com.
For 36 years, Davis residents with wrongful death and personal injury damages have trusted me to assist them with obtaining fair recompense.
I have been rated on:
I’m in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. All trial attorneys of this group have either settled or won verdicts for client cases worth $1,000,000 minimum.
See my Verdicts and Settlements.
To find the leading reporting and information available in Northern California for topics of personal injury and car accidents, see AutoAccident.com.
Picture: “new traffic lights in front of Police Station” by Steve F under CCA-SA2G
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