As Traffic Returns to Normal, Car Accidents in Southern California Increase

With fewer people commuting to work and more of us staying at home lately, the COVID-19 pandemic originally led to a significant reduction in traffic in southern California. It would seem that this would be a good thing, as fewer people driving on a daily basis should also mean a much lower number of traffic accidents. However, that is not necessarily the case in Southern California and other parts of the country, where drivers are abusing the open roads and taking lessened traffic as an opportunity to speed and drive recklessly. 

Social Distancing has Caused Dangerous Road Conditions

The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected almost every aspect of our everyday lives. Businesses moved their employees to work from home, bars and nightclubs shut down temporarily, and restaurants occupied parking lots for limited seating for outside dining. With fewer people out and about, there are fewer drivers on the road. Furthermore, emptier roads are causing people to drive less cautiously because there are fewer cars to watch out for. Too many drivers are becoming lack-luster in checking blindspots or using their turn signals. These are creating the perfect conditions for an uptick in serious car accidents.

Reckless drivers have been regularly clocked by police exceeding speeds of 100mph, which pose a significant risk to pedestrians, cyclists, and others behind the wheel. During what would typically be considered “peak” traffic hours, stop lights usually go through “green waves”; long periods of time without turning red meant to serve congested conditions. These “green waves” are still occurring, but without the congested conditions to slow drivers down, many cities are experiencing issues with drivers speeding in busy areas. 

Driving at high speeds means that reaction times must be significantly quicker in order to prevent accidents. Oftentimes, though, there just isn’t time for drivers to react fast enough to prevent a crash from occurring when moving at such high speeds. This can be particularly treacherous on city streets, where there’s so much activity and other distractions to account for, especially pedestrians and cyclists.

But now that life is returning to a more “normal” pace, the amount of traffic on the roads is steadily starting to increase again. However, drivers who have been commuting in less congested conditions aren’t necessarily dropping their newly acquired bad driving habits, and instead are practicing unsafe driving on increasingly busy roads. We also haven’t seen any sort of decrease in the numbers of people who are driving distracted. In fact, there has been a 38 percent increase in cell phone usage whilst driving, and using a phone has caused a 25 percent increase in hard braking.

Lastly, incidents of DUIs are also expected to rise as life returns to a more normal state. After so many months in isolation, unable to see friends or family, bars are now re-opening and people are throwing parties to celebrate being able to see their friends again.

These conditions greatly increase the chances of people getting behind the wheel when they’ve had one too many. Not to mention, those who have suffered a loss of income or don’t want to get in a vehicle with a stranger because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, might decide to skip on taxi or other rideshare services after they’ve been drinking.

Reckless Driving Habits Lead to Serious or Fatal Car Accidents

Distracted driving, texting while driving, drunk driving, speeding, and reckless driving are some of the most common causes of serious or fatal car accidents. Driving under any of these conditions greatly increases the chance of causing the following types of accidents:

• Head-on collisions
• Intersection accidents
• Freeway accidents
• Rear-end accidents
• Side-impact accidents

The car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates can help you get the compensation you deserve. Our experienced personal injury lawyers have helped those who have suffered injuries at the hands of a reckless driver, including:

• Whiplash
• Head injuries
• Neck Injuries
• Broken ribs or other broken bones
• Internal bleeding
• Herniated disc or other back injuries
• External injuries such as cuts, scrapes, or burns
• Catastrophic injuries
• Fatalities

The combination of more drivers speeding, others not following the appropriate safety precautions when behind the wheel, steadily increasing traffic, and higher likelihoods of people driving whilst under the influence could lead to dangerous road conditions if we aren’t careful. It’s extremely important to stick to speed limits, drive safely, and never get behind the wheel after drinking in order to protect yourself, loved ones, and other commuters.

Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney

If you or a loved one has been in a car accident due to the negligence of a reckless driver, you should discuss your legal options with an attorney, as you may be entitled to compensation. The auto accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates advocate for their clients’ full financial recovery through hard work and an aggressive approach. With multiple offices located in Irvine, Los Angeles, El Segundo, San Diego and Riverside, our personal injury lawyers represent employment discrimination victims across Southern California. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our attorneys, please call 888-848-5084.