A Deadly Stretch of Interstate 5
California has nearly 400,000 miles of roads. Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) looked at close to 4,500 miles of those state roads to determine which were the most dangerous. A stretch of highway in Sacramento made the list – the portion of Interstate 5 (I-5) from Del Paso Road to Railyards Boulevard – was determined to be among the top five most deadly stretches of road within California.
What the Agency Examined
The time period analyzed by the NHTSA was from 2017 to 2019. During that period, there were 13 fatal car crashes on the Sacramento stretch of I-5, resulting in 16 deaths. Some residents surmise that the danger comes from the number of cars merging into a few lanes. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), part of the reason the area is dangerous is because of the number of semi-trucks that travel on that stretch. When semi-trucks frequently travel in the same area as passenger vehicles, the risk of deadly accidents is higher. This is because loaded big rigs are much heavier than other vehicles, and when they are involved in a collision they do serious damage to the lighter vehicle. The NHTSA researchers found other reasons contributing to California traffic fatalities, which are discussed below.
Watch the YouTube video. The following news clip, posted by KCRA, reports on the recent report about I-5.
Drunk Driving as a Factor
The state average for fatal crashes that involve drunk driving is 27%. In Sacramento, 26% of the studied accidents were related to impaired driving. Even one drink can affect a person’s driving ability. In California, the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.08%. At or above that limit is determined to be legally intoxicated. However, even a much lower BAC can make driving dangerous by affecting vision, coordination, judgment, and decision-making.
Excessive Speed as a Factor
Speeding outpaced even drunk driving as being a factor in fatal car crashes in California from 2017 to 2019. Excessive speed was involved in 2,923 such incidents, or 28% of the total deadly crashes in the state. There are many reasons that driving too fast for conditions can contribute to an accident. High speeds make it easier for a driver to lose control of a vehicle. It also requires more time to stop to avoid a collision. When an impact occurs at high speeds, often the injuries are much greater, and the risk of fatal injuries is higher.
Distracted Driving as a Factor
From 2017 to 2019, there were 447 fatal crashes that involved distracted driving throughout California, representing four percent of the total number of fatal accidents. When comparing to all the other states in the country, California does better in this category. Only three other states had fewer distracted driving crashes.
Reminder to be Extra Cautious in the Fall
The safety study revealed that more fatal car crashes in California occurred in the month of November. There were 951 deadly November accidents over the three-year period, which calculates to just over nine percent of the total number. This was partly attributed to there being more holiday-related travel. September had the second-highest number of fatal crashes, and October the third.
The CHP indicated that they intend to add more officers to patrol the highways throughout the rest of the year.
Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading our report on the deadly Sacramento stretch of I-5. My name is Ed Smith, and I am a Sacramento personal injury lawyer. Most automobile accidents are caused by driver negligence. If you have been injured in a crash caused by someone else’s carelessness or recklessness, our legal team can help. If you would like to receive our free and friendly legal advice, just call us at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. If you prefer to send your inquiry electronically, please feel free to use our online form.
Below are links to sites that will give you more information about our injury attorneys and the services we offer:
Photo: by Stephen Leonardi via Unsplash
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