What Causes Accidents in Woodland?
Woodland may be relatively calm compared to nearby college town Davis and the metropolis of Sacramento. However, the city is still home to nearly 60,000 people and serves as the seat of the Yolo County government, meaning that there is plenty going on in Woodland on any given day. With all of this activity, there’s a significant amount of vehicle traffic on Woodland streets, meaning that there is also a considerable number of auto accidents. Residents who frequently use city streets may want to learn about what causes accidents in Woodland.
Overview of Crashes
Data reported by researchers at UC Berkeley indicates that there were 1,454 traumatic crashes in Woodland between 2008 and 2020. These collisions left a total of 1,900 people with injuries and caused another 32 fatalities. During the same time period, there were 9,665 traumatic accidents in Yolo County overall, causing 13,395 injuries as well as 271 deaths. This shows that just over ten percent of traumatic Yolo accidents happened within Woodland city limits.
Woodland’s 1,454 crashes involved 153 pedestrian wrecks, 168 bicycle crashes, and 76 motorcycle collisions. Additionally, around 19 percent of these accidents happened on a state-operated highway in Woodland while the rest happened on city or roads.
Primary Causal Factors
After collisions are investigated, officials will mark off a “primary causal factor,” which is believed to have been the main reason for the crash. The following violations were most commonly marked as primary causal factors of accidents in Woodland during 2008-2020 and are listed next to the number of collisions caused in that period.
- Unsafe Speed, 376
- Automobile Right of Way, 236
- Improper Turning, 187
- Traffic Signs and Signals, 178
- Driving Under the Influence, 114
- Wrong Side of Road, 72
- Pedestrian Violations, 57
- Pedestrian Right of Way, 57
All other causes were primary causal factors for less than two percent of Woodland collisions. These included tailgating, unsafe starting, dangerous lane-changing, broken vehicle lights, and more.
Accident Cause and Liability
Depending on the cause of the accident, one or more parties are usually considered “at-fault” and can be held responsible for damages caused during the incident. When the primary causal factor is speeding, the speeding driver is usually considered at-fault. However, in California, responsibility for car accidents can be shared among multiple parties, and each party is responsible for a percentage of damages relative to their percentage of fault.
Furthermore, many accidents involve at-fault parties that aren’t drivers. In cases involving DUI, a business or person that supplied the intoxicated driver with liquor or access to a vehicle may be liable. With cases involving defective car parts, the retailer, seller, or manufacturer of the vehicle is often considered at-fault.
Getting Help
It’s important to know that injury cases can be very complex, and at-fault parties typically try to defend themselves from liability. In order to make sure you are able to claim the compensation that you deserve, it is critical to reach out to a lawyer who has experience handling cases like yours.
Learn more about finding a top-rate lawyer by watching this video:
Other Blogs from Ed Smith, Woodland Car Accident Lawyer
- Collision in Ukiah Kills Woodland Resident
- What is a Woodland Personal Injury Lawyer?
- Crash in Woodland Causes Fatal Injuries
Woodland Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Woodland car accident lawyer. If a car crash caused you or somebody you care about serious injuries, call (800) 404-5400 or (530) 392-9400 to get my free, friendly advice about your case.
I’ve worked in the Woodland community for over 38 years and have helped many people obtain the settlements and verdicts they need to recover after accidents. Learn more about me by checking out the client reviews that have been posted on:
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