When are the Most Dangerous Times to Drive in Los Angeles?

Posted on January 29, 2018

Drivers in Los Angeles (LA) face increased risks on the roads as car accident rates continue to rise. Those risks go up during heavy traffic hours, as most people quickly try to get home or run errands. Toss a few holidays and the random drunk driver into the mix and LA’s driving scene becomes deadly. The Los Angeles car accident attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP understand what it’s like trying to get home during that late afternoon rush. While our lawyers remain ready to defend anyone injured in a car accident, we all can agree it’s better if you were never injured in the first place. To that end, we took a look at the numbers and put together this list of the worst times to drive to help the citizens of LA stay informed and alert.

The Numbers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that LA County remained atop the state’s most fatal counties list in 2016, a position it has held since 2012. Furthermore, LA County accounted for more than 20 percent of all traffic fatalities in the state during the same time period, while no other county accounted for more than nine percent. Finally, 794 fatal accidents took place in LA County in 2016, 243 more than 2015’s total. For some perspective, the total number of fatal accidents in LA County in 2015 was only 35 higher than 2012’s total.

When Do These Accidents Happen?

We all know the LA traffic is bad and sometimes fatal. However, when is it the worst? The University of Southern California’s Integrated Media Systems Center partnered with the Annenberg School of Journalism to determine what day was the worst for LA drivers in 2016, the year with the most recent data available.

What is the Worst Day?

Answer: Friday.

LA freeways saw the most collisions on Friday, recording almost 31,000 accidents. The safest workday in terms of number of accidents is Monday, with almost 26,000 incidents occurring during this day of the week. The totals progressively increase throughout the week. Saturday, while safer than its weekday counterparts, still reported more than 24,600 collisions. The safest day to travel in any given week is Sunday, with daily totals registering more than 10,000 less than Friday’s peak.

When’s the Worst Time?

Answer: Between 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Whatever day you may be driving on, you face the most risk of a car accident between these hours. For example, more than 20 percent of Friday’s incidents took place between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Earlier in the week, by contrast, those two hours see less accidents taking place. Only 12 percent of Monday’s totals occur during that time period. Sunday reported only 9 percent of its accidents during the same time slot.

Where Do These Accidents Happen in LA?

The study by USC detailed which roads were the most dangerous. The 57/60 Confluence, where California state routes 57 and 60 meet, recorded the most collisions. Other dangerous roads included the 5 and 605 interchange and the intersection of the 91 and Green Road.

If you are injured in a car accident in the Los Angeles area, the lawyers at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, are ready to help you pursue any compensation you may be owed. Call today in Los Angeles to schedule a free consultation! (310) 477-1700

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