According to the Orange County Register, a 3.5-mile section of Live Canyon Road is causing safety officials, police, and residents concern. The California Highway Patrol reports that12 people have died along the short picturesque road in the last 10 years. 2/3rds of serious accidents have involved drivers younger than 25.
Over half of the fatality victims were younger than 19. Only two of the people that died were older than 25. While young drivers usually are involved in a number of US traffic accidents that occur each year--with California drivers under age 25 comprising 24% of all auto crashes in the state resulting in injuries and deaths--that age demography is involved in 66% of the catastrophic crashes that occur on Live Oak Canyon Road. In total, there have been 189 Southern California motor vehicle accidents involving injuries or deaths on this road since 1989.
Common causes of catastrophic accidents on the winding road have included speeding (in 32% of the crashes), driver inexperience, loss of control, unsafe movement (in 39% of the crashes), and drunk driving.
Canyon residents want Orange County's public works department to figure out what they can do to discourage speeding and decrease the number of collisions that happen on the road. The county is examining the road.
Based on a recent article published by the Seattle Times, speeding (responsible for 149,258 California auto crashes in 2007), Improper turns (85,967 California car accidents), improper merging (60,707 California traffic crashes), impaired driving, driving outside a lane, and distracted driving are among the worst driving habits that a motorist can engage in. Couple these factors with inadequate traffic protections on a road that has a history of frequent Orange County, California car crashes and you have a scenario ripe for potential motor vehicle accidents.
Half who died driving canyon road were 18 or younger, OC Register, June 12, 2009
The worst driving mistakes, The Seattle Times, June 12, 2009
Related Web Resources:
California Highway Patrol
If you believe that your loved one died in a California car accident that was caused by another negligent party, you should contact our Orange County, California car accident law firm today.
