5 Most Dangerous Intersections In California
It’s impossible to prevent every traffic accident, but drivers can reduce their risk of getting into an accident by learning which intersections are the most dangerous. There are a number of reasons why car accidents occur so frequently at intersections. For example, drivers may become distracted when looking at their phones at a red light or they may wrongly predict what other drivers at the intersection are about to do. Accidents can also occur when drivers who are trying to turn misjudge another car’s speed or the distance between their vehicle and an oncoming car. For these reasons, it’s imperative that you are cautious when approaching, stopping at, or driving through an intersection.
Some intersections are far more dangerous than others. In fact, a report was released at the end of the last year that identified the most dangerous intersections in the state of California. It may not come as a surprise to California drivers that almost half of the intersections on the list are located in the city of Los Angeles, and more than 90% are located in southern California. Out of the 444 intersections that were included on this list, 221 of them are in Los Angeles, followed by 13 in Sacramento, 11 in Downey and Lancaster, and 8 in Santa Ana.
To determine which intersections were the most dangerous, the researchers analyzed 435,000 accident records from 2015 provided by the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS). If there were more than 10 accidents at any single intersection, it was ranked on this list. Researchers looked at the number of collisions, injuries, and fatalities at each intersection. Then, each of these intersections was given a score that was calculated using the formula below:
Accident (x1) + Injury (x3) + Fatality (x10) = Overall Score
The higher the intersection scored, the higher that it ranked on this list. Which intersections in California should you avoid based on this research? Here’s a look at the top five intersections that made the list:
Devonshire St. & Reseda Blvd.
Topping the list of the most dangerous intersections in California is Devonshire St. and Reseda Blvd., which is located in Los Angeles. Although there were not any fatalities at this intersection in 2015, there were 24 crashes that resulted in 41 injuries. It’s unclear what caused these accidents in 2015, however there are a number of major retailers and shopping centers located nearby, so it’s possible that the high volume of traffic simply leads to more crashes. This intersection is located within the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles and fortunately for the car accident victims, it’s also right near a Los Angeles Police Department station.
Imperial Hwy & Vista Del Mar
The second most dangerous intersection in the state of California is also found in Los Angeles, specifically, near Dockweiler Beach. Many people may not be surprised to see this intersection on this list, since it has appeared on similar lists over the past few years. There were 26 car accidents at the intersection of Imperial Highway and Vista Del Mar in 2015. Although there were more crashes at this intersection than the intersection in the top spot on the list, there weren’t as many injuries. There were only 39 injuries at this intersection, which makes it slightly less dangerous than Devonshire St. & Reseda Blvd.
Balboa Blvd. & Nordhoff St.
The intersection of Balboa Blvd. and Nordhoff St., which is also located in Los Angeles, ranks as the third most dangerous intersection in the state of California. Balboa Blvd. and Nordhoff St. is just a few blocks away from the California State University, Northridge campus, and is surrounded by popular shopping centers. Due to its location, it’s possible that this is a congested area that sees a great deal of traffic. There were 26 accidents at this intersection in 2015, which resulted in 37 injuries. Fortunately, no one was killed at this intersection during this time period.
Firestone Blvd. & Lakewood Blvd.
The first intersection on the list that is from outside of Los Angeles is Firestone Blvd. and Lakewood Blvd., which is located in Downey, California. There were more accidents at this intersection than any of the intersections in the top three, however there were not nearly as many injuries. In the 36 car crashes that took place here during 2015, there were only 32 injuries. This intersection is located just a few steps away from Downey High School, so it’s possible that many of these accidents could be caused by inexperienced teen drivers. It’s also possible that the nearby shopping centers attract a lot of drivers to this area, which means there’s a greater likelihood of accidents occurring.
Lindley Ave. & Roscoe Blvd.
Rounding out the top five most dangerous intersections in California is Lindley Ave. and Roscoe Blvd, which is located in Los Angeles. There were only 16 traffic accidents at this intersection during 2015, however these accidents were more catastrophic than the crashes at other intersections on this list. Whereas there were no fatalities at any of the intersections in the top four of this list, there were two fatalities at this intersection and 31 non-fatal injuries.
These may be the most dangerous intersections in California, but they aren’t the only places where accidents can occur. If you have been injured in a car accident, it’s imperative that you seek legal representation as soon as possible. Contact Carpenter & Zuckerman today to schedule a free consultation with our team of experienced personal injury attorneys. You may be able to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. But first, you will need to get in touch with an attorney to discuss your case.