What you need to
know about California Traffic Accidents
Driving is part of our culture here in CA,
especially in Los Angeles. There is really no other viable option for most
people. So being sure you understand what risks you are taking when you drive
to work every day is important, as well as how to lower your risk of an
accident or serious injury. The facts show that overall CA is a safer place to
drive than the USA overall, but this does not mean there are not serious trends
that we need to be aware of. Here are some things you need to know.
Staggering Facts
·
In 2011, there were 2,791 fatalities in CA from traffic
accidents. This is up 2.6% from the previous year. Many of these were the
result of distracted driving; i.e cell phone use or texting etc. That is a lot
of people who died; about 54 people per week! Yikes!
·
More than 50,000
people experienced injuries from auto accidents in Los Angeles County alone in
2011. These are not fatalities, but just injuries. That is about 962 people per
week who are injured in auto accidents!
·
Texting
convictions increased 42 percent from 14,866 in 2011 to 21,059 in 2012. (DMV).
Too many people still think they have time to text while at a light. Don’t do
it!
·
Based
on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 30.4 percent
of all drivers who were killed in motor vehicle crashes in California in 2011
tested positive for legal and/or illegal drugs, a percentage that has been
increasing since 2006. Marijuana was by far the most common drug found in
drivers who tested positive for drugs - 25.3 percent of those drivers who
tested positive for drugs.[1]
Common Types of Injuries in Traffic
Accidents
·
Previous
studies have shown that lower extremity injuries account for a significant
portion of the injuries sustained by passenger vehicle drivers in frontal
crashes, and this pattern continues to hold for newer model year vehicles.[2]
Lower extremity injuries include leg and knee injuries such as bruises and
broken bones. Tearing of knee cartilage is also a common injury.
·
Nearly 150,000 people were injured in 2009 just by closing
the car door. They were not even on the road or highway. This is an amazing
statistic. They either fell while
getting out of the car, or broke a bone slamming the door on their hand.
·
Older drivers and passengers are more vulnerable in a crash.
At crash speeds of just over 31 mph (50 kph), the risk of sustaining a serious
injury increases dramatically. A 50-year-old female has about a 10-percent risk
of a serious injury in a frontal crash, but an 80-year-old female has about a
40-percent risk. [3]
·
A closed head injury (a concussion or a
traumatic brain injury) is one of the most common injuries sustained. Often,
there are not immediate signs of trauma.
Because the brain is likely to be moved around in the skill during
impact, the signs may take a few hours or days to show themselves.[4]
Always see a doctor even if you think you are fine.
·
Whiplash is a very common neck injury, but there
is also neck strain and serious injuries to the discs in the neck. The pain
from these injuries may not be felt right away either.
·
Common
back injuries include sprain
or strain, fracture, disc injury, thoracic spine injury, lumbar radiculopathy,
and lumbar spine injury. It is not unusual for the effects of a bad back
injuries to not show up for hours or weeks. Back injuries often cause long term
problems for victims.
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