SAN DIEGO — Navigating California’s congested roadways and multi-lane freeways is a formidable task in itself, compounded by concerning trends in road safety.
ConsumerAffairs, a prominent consumer news platform, has recently published a study highlighting the alarming increase in fatal car accidents across the state in recent years.
Despite a decline in California’s population in 2022, deadly car crashes rose by 17% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2018, according to the report.
Among the findings, Interstate 5 in San Diego County stood out, ranking third on ConsumerAffairs’ list of the ten deadliest roads in California. The freeway witnessed 21 fatalities in 2022, marking an increase of two deaths compared to figures from 2018.
Speeding was identified as a significant factor in seven of the deaths on I-5 in 2022, while alcohol consumption contributed to two fatalities, as per the study.
Statewide, the report highlighted that speeding accounted for approximately 31% of fatal crashes in 2022, up from 26% in 2018. Meanwhile, driving under the influence was associated with 13% of deaths, a decrease from 24% in 2018.
Despite preliminary data for 2023 indicating a decrease in crash-related fatalities, the numbers remain higher than pre-pandemic levels.
In terms of comparative data, only I-10 in Riverside County and I-15 in San Bernardino County reported more deaths than I-5 in San Diego County for both 2018 and 2022.
ConsumerAffairs conducted this comprehensive study by analyzing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, focusing on California’s 58 counties to identify the most perilous roads in each region from 2018 to 2022.
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