California’s State Laws Compared to the Other States
Due to the increased number of fatalities per day in the US, states have been tasked with coming up with ways and legislation aimed at improving safety on the roadways and curbing the fatal accidents. According to the Advocates Highway and Auto Safety for 2017, California was ranked among the top six states that had the most protective road safety laws. The ratings are based on how many of the 16 laws the state considers more vital in curbing the injuries and deaths arising from traffic collisions.
Such laws include licensing of new drivers, protection for children and infants, measures to curb distracted and DUI driving, helmet use, and mandatory use of seatbelts.
On state highway safety, California came in fifth. Some of the laws that were not found in California include; the restriction of cell phone use for new drivers, minimum of 16 years for learner’s permit and nighttime and passenger restrictions for under 18 drivers.
Common types of accidents that occurred in California in 2017 were; rear-end collisions, which took place more in Orange County. The major reason for this was distracted driving mainly because of the rising use of cell phones for drivers.
Head-on collisions mostly because of drivers traveling at high rates of speed.
Sideswiping crashes that occurred mostly when drivers were changing lanes and;
broadside crashes caused by drivers running red and stop signs.
