California Statistics on Causes of Car Accidents

Have you been injured in an automobile accident in San Diego? You’re most likely concerned about your legal rights and how to recover your losses. Before you take any step, discover what statistics say about car accidents in San Diego.


Basics about Car Accidents in San Diego

Statistics show that a great number of individuals in San Diego will be involved in automobile accidents yearly. Matter-of-factly, such accidents will lead to thousands of deaths or several injuries.

The California Office of Traffic Safety recorded over 20,000 injured or dead individuals in 2017. These were due to accidents in San Diego County and more than 8,600 persons were involved in the crashes within the limits of the City of San Diego.


Major Causes of Car Accidents Statistics

Based on a 2016 reports by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, 94% of accidents are caused by driver negligence while 6% of car crashes are a result of vehicle problems, environmental concerns, and other unspecified reasons.


When the driver is responsible for the accident,

  • 41% is due to recognition error (inadequate surveillance, distractions from the driver or otherwise, and poor attention on the driver’s part)
  • 33% is as a result of decision error (misinterpreting other drivers’ moves, over speeding for a curve or other reasons, and wrong moves)
  • performance error (poor driving skills and over-compensation) accounts for 11%
  • 9% covers for non-performance error (sleeping while driving) or other unknown causes.


Also, in 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association had the following estimations:

  • 10% of all injury crashes and fatal accidents could be traced to “distraction-affected” crashes
  • 14% of the deaths crashes caused by distraction could be traced to the use of cell phones while driving (which had increased by 6.7% since the preceding year)
  • 8% of personal injuries in accidents caused by distraction were as a result of the use of cell phones while driving (which had increased by 21% since the preceding year).
  • At least one accident occurred every 52 minutes due to alcohol-impaired driving, a situation which made up 31% of the total car accidents in the US.


Recent statistics further indicate that speed-driving was the leading cause of car accidents in San Diego County and over 5,782 victims were injured in such accidents. In fact, most accidents occurred in the evening, between 5pm and 6pm, and vehicle owners have been cautioned about driving during this hour.


Reports also show that most car accidents were caused by young men within the 20-24 age brackets. With this reality, it becomes essential for you to drive with care and consult a car accident lawyer as soon as you’ve been involved in an accident.


What to do After an Accident

  • Do not drive off after an accident as this is considered as “hit and run.” According to laws in California, you must stop after a car accident otherwise you’ll be served tough penalties.
  • Exchange contact information, driver license data, and insurance details with the other driver.
  • Provide reasonable assistance (offer help as any reasonable person would) to victims of the car crash as specified by the California law.
  • Inform the San Diego Police or the California Highway Patrol of the accident so that they can make a report as soon as possible.
  • Hire a car accident lawyer before you think of admitting fault or talking to the other party’s insurance company. Let an experienced lawyer fight for you.
  • If you receive a ticket at the accident scene, sign it. Your action doesn’t imply that you’re at fault.


At Nakase Law Firm, we have been helping injured clients for the past 14 years. We are prepared to help you have a case in court if the at-fault driver’s insurance company is unwilling to give you a fair settlement.


While you focus on taking care of yourself and your loved ones, we’ll handle all the legal aspects required to recover your due compensation.

Brad Nakase, Attorney


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