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Studies Shows Half of America’s 20 Most Dangerous Roads Are Located in California
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/feb/06/simple-steps-for-staying-alive/
A recent study by the Scripps Howard News Service finds that 10 of America’s 20 most dangerous roads (in terms of highest number of fatalities) are located in California, the Ventura County Star reports. The top three most dangerous roads are all in Los Angeles. What makes California susceptible to so many dangerous roads and traffic deaths? According to the California Department of Transportation; speeding, drinking, and unfastened seat belts are the common causes for California’s high ranking.
Statistics
According to the Star, there have been nearly 320 drunken-driving related deaths from 1994-2008 in Ventura County. In the same time period, over 260 deaths have involved unfastened seat belts, and 220 have involved speeding. 37.6% of all traffic fatalities occurred on state highways, and nearly 200 fatalities occurred on Saturday- the most fatalities of any day of the week.
Your Legal Options
The best way to practice driving safety is to take simple steps to ensure that preventable accidents caused by the most common factors do not occur. However, even the safest drivers, who always wear a seatbelt, drive within the speed limit, don’t drive intoxicated, and limit driving distractions such as cell phones or eating while driving, aren’t immune to car accidents. Sometimes accidents are simply unavoidable due to the conduct of other drivers and road conditions. When an accident occurs beyond your control, you may be entitled to monetary compensation to cover your injuries and damages. Experienced, aggressive personal injury attorneys will pursue legal action to obtain compensation for medical appointments, missed time from work, and future care and treatment. Call today to set up a free consultation.
Local City Ranks #1 in California for Alcohol-Related Collisions and Hit and Runs
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/sep/17/oxnard-police-making-strides-in-traffic-safety/
Oxnard, California has the highest number of alcohol-related collisions and hit and run incidents in California, according to recently published statistics from 2007.
On average, there are ten traffic deaths per year in Oxnard, with at least two of those deaths involving pedestrians. The Oxnard Police Department cites dangerous intersections, improper signaling, and poorly designed lanes as the cause of many of the accidents. Another cause, one accompanied by the highest fatality rates, is driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Oxnard Police Enforcement is cracking down on DUIs through checkpoints, saturation patrol, public information campaigns, and community outreach programs.
On August 29, officers from multiple agencies issued a DUI crackdown on Highway 101. During an 8 hour period, they pulled over 230 drivers for traffic violations, arrested 10 people on suspicion of DUI, and towed 12 cars driven by unlicensed drivers.
With the steps taken by the Oxnard Police Department and other Oxnard agencies, hopefully the city can become a safer place to drive and live.
If you’ve been the victim of an alcohol-related collision or a hit and run incident, you need the best-skilled attorneys to handle your case with experience, analysis, and determination for results.
Surprising Statistics on Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5650a1.htm
According to the Center for Disease Control, unintentional Carbon Monoxide exposure accounts for an estimated 15,000 ER visits and 500 unintentional deaths in the United States each year (statistics current through 2004). California alone had 115 deaths from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning from 1999-2004.
With such large numbers of people affected by carbon monoxide poisoning (including the many additional cases that go unreported), it is alarming that education-based measures are sparse at both state and national levels.
The Center for Disease Control Study found that adults over age 65 were most at risk for contracting carbon monoxide poisoning, and that the average daily number of carbon monoxide related deaths were in January, because in the cold, winter months, there is an increased use of gas-powered furnaces.
Further, men contracted carbon monoxide poisoning at a higher rate than women, which the CDC attributes to male high-risk behaviors such as working with fuel-burning tools or appliances.
The CDC recommends that carbon monoxide poisoning can be prevented by proper installation and maintenance of fuel-burning appliances, as well as by installing a carbon monoxide detector in every home. Currently, California has not passed legislation to mandate the use of carbon monoxide detectors in homes.