According to preliminary figures provided by the California Office of Traffic Safety, the number of traffic fatalities in California, went down last year compared to 2008. While there were 3,401 California traffic deaths in 2008, there were just under 3,100 California traffic fatalities last year. In Orange County, California, 155 people were killed in 2009, while 162 died in 2008.
According to the California Highway Patrol, increased enforcement, a slower economy (prompting people to drive less), and safer vehicles being made are some of the reasons why traffic deaths in the state have gone down. Also, 540 CHP officers have been hired since 2006.
Having gone down 29% over three years, the California traffic death rate, says the CHP, is at its lowest ever. That's approximately 700 less fatalities and 19,000 less injures in areas that the CHP patrols.
Our Anaheim car accident law firm applauds all successful efforts made to decrease the number of injuries and deaths on state and local roads. In the work that we do, every day we are faced with the catastrophic consequences that can impact someone who was injured in an Orange County, California motor vehicle crash. The more that can be done to make sure that people stop getting hurt in traffic collisions, the better.
In the meantime, the traffic collision injury and death count for 2010 continues to go up. Just today, someone died in an Orange County, California car accident after a Honda Civic drove off the side of the southbound 57 freeway.
Last month, a woman died after she was injured in a Santa Ana pedestrian accident. The victim, Maria Rivera-Garcia was hit by a pickup truck while she was in a crosswalk. Police say that the driver ran a red light. In another Orange County traffic crash, a pregnant woman had to be taken to the hospital after she was involved in 3-vehicle collision on the north bound 55 freeway. All three autos were in the slow lane when the Costa Mesa car crash happened.
Fewer people dying in traffic accidents, OC Register, May 5, 2010
California traffic deaths head toward all-time low, SFGate.com, April 15, 2010
Woman hit by pickup truck dies, OC Register, April 25, 2010
Pregnant woman hospitalized after crash, April 29, 2010
Related Web Resources:
California Office of Traffic Safety
Our Anaheim personal injury law firm represents car crash victims throughout Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and Orange County, California.
