California is one of those states where car accidents happen frequently. According to research, approximately 250,000 car accidents occur in California every year, and in 2022, about 4099 people died due to motor vehicle accidents.
These accidents happen for various reasons, sometimes due to high speeding, aggressive driving, alcohol or drug-impaired driving, and so forth. Whatever the reason is, these accidents can result in the loss of innocent lives.
Today, we’ll discuss the leading causes of car accidents in Northern California. This will help you understand the primary reasons behind the increase in fatalities. Stick with us until the end to gain a comprehensive understanding of this critical issue.
Top 7 Causes of Car Accidents In Northern California
After our in-depth research, we’ve found seven main reasons for car accidents in Northern California. These are the most common causes, but there could be other reasons depending on the driver, the car, and the road conditions.
1. Overspeeding, Primary!
Overspeeding is the biggest cause of accidents in California. It simply means the situation when the driver drives way too fast on a road. Accident happen because when a driver overspeeds, the ability to drive safely around a curve or object becomes compromised.
That’s the reason behind the high rate of accidents involving speeding. As per the govt report of Speeding-Related Fatality Trends, California, about 29.1% of accidents in California were related to overspending in 2016.
2. Alcohol Or Drug Impaired-Driving
The second main reason for accidents is alcohol or drug-impaired driving. Both of these things can reduce the ability to concentrate on the road and sometimes even cause serious drowsiness, which is why an accident happens.
Due to the serious consequences, the Govt has made laws against driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Unfortunately, the results aren’t very reassuring. According to the California government, 52.9% of drivers involved in car crashes tested positive for drugs in 2021.
3. Neglecting Traffic Rules
Traffic rules aren’t only made to control or manage the traffic on the road but also for the safety of drivers. However, it’s commonly seen that drivers ignore rules whenever they think they can get away with it, leading to serious car accidents.
Some people don’t even wear helmets or use car safety belts, which also increases the number of fatalities. In 2021, the deaths of motorbike riders increased by about 9% from the previous year because they didn’t wear helmets while riding.
4. Poor Conditions of Road
The next reason that causes car accidents is the poor conditions of the road. Although the local government has strict criteria for the safety standards of the road, sometimes a lack of road signs, narrow lanes, weak lane markings, and potholes cause accidents.
If it happens to you or any of your family members, you can take legal action against the responsible party. For more information, you can get help from our MCCRARY law firm with free consultation.