Los Angeles Ranked as One of the Most Unsafe Cities to Drive

Allstate Insurance Company recently released its fifth annual "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report," and Los Angeles was ranked 184 out of approximately 194 cities throughout the United States. To arrive at its results, Allstate looked at car collision frequency in the 194 cities, and based on this data, determined which cities have the safest drivers.

Allstate actuaries analyzed company claim data, including internal property damage report claims from January 2006 to December 2007. For purposes of the study, an "auto crash" was defined as any collision resulting in a property damage claim.

Other California cities were also ranked towards the bottom of the list--San Diego was ranked 108 and Glendale was ranked 191. The safest driving cities included Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which was ranked first, and Fort Collins, Colorado, which was ranked second.

With close to 4 million residents in Los Angeles and cars as the main form of transportation for many, the survey's results are not that surprising. Compared to the national average, the Allstate report stated that drivers in Los Angeles were 46.6 percent more likely to be in a collision. Further, the average number of years between collisions for Los Angeles drivers was 6.8, as compared to the safest driving city, Sioux Falls, which on average was 13.5 years between collisions.

Common Causes of Automobile Accidents
Automobile accidents in Los Angeles and throughout the nation are caused for a variety of reasons, but they are predominantly caused by driver error. Common causes include the following:
Inattentive or distracted drivers, such as text messaging, changing a radio station, or talking on the cell phone while driving.
Failing to keep a safe distance and speed between yourself and the motorists around you.
Failing to maintain your car, such as ensuring that lights, brakes, and battery are operating properly.
Ignoring weather and road conditions, such as rain and fog.
Drivers who are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.

Consulting an Attorney
As the list above shows, auto accidents are most often caused by negligence. "Negligence" generally involves the failure to exercise reasonable care to avoid a foreseeable harm to another individual. Drivers have a general responsibility to exercise reasonable care and safety to prevent future injuries and deaths.

The unfortunate reality is that serious automobile accidents occur everyday and they can lead to major injuries, such as burn, spinal, and brain injuries. The risk of harm is particularly acute in Los Angeles when collisions are more likely to occur than other large cities nationwide.

If you are involved in an automobile accident involving injuries that are extremely serious, you should consult an experienced personal injury lawyer for assistance. An experienced attorney can help you negotiate with your insurance carrier and the at-fault party's insurance company to recover costs. Additionally, because California is a fault-based state, which means the injured person can sue the at-fault party for damages related to the accident, a qualified attorney can file a lawsuit against the responsible party on your behalf.

If you or someone you know was in a serious automobile accident, contact the Law Offices of James R. Gillen for experienced, professional legal counsel. We also offer free initial consultations, and we handle all personal injury cases on a contingency basis, meaning you do not owe us attorney fees unless we obtain recovery on your behalf.