What Is The Leading Cause Of Traffic Fatalities In California?

The number one cause of traffic deaths in California is speeding. From 2020 to 2024, state data show an average of 1,087 lives lost each year in speeding-related crashes. These collisions are often devastating because drivers have less time to react and the force of impact is greater, leading to catastrophic injuries or fatalities.

Urban areas like Los Angeles and San Diego see the highest crash rates, with young men between 15 and 34 most at risk. Speeding not only endangers drivers but also pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists who have little protection against high-speed impacts.

Families who lose loved ones in these crashes may have legal options, including filing wrongful death or survival action claims. Our California traffic accident lawyers can explain your rights, evaluate evidence, and guide you through the claims process.

Notable points on traffic fatalities in California:

How Speeding Leads To Fatal Traffic Accidents

One of the leading causes of traffic deaths in California and across the U.S. is excessive speed. Speeding-related crashes often result in severe or fatal injuries, especially when combined with other dangers like drunk or distracted driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding caused 11,775 fatalities in 2023. It was 29% of all traffic-related fatalities that year. Out of those fatalities, approximately 1,100 occurred in California, based on UC Berkeley’s SWITRS crash data.

Studies show that vulnerable road users, such as walkers and cyclists, have been disproportionately impacted throughout the history of car accidents and pedestrian fatalities. The faster a car moves, the longer it takes to stop and prevent a crash. Unlike other collisions, speeding often involves a more substantial impact. Here are some reasons why it could be deadly:

• Safety features like airbags and seatbelts typically don’t work as well at higher speeds.
• High-speed crashes are more likely to cause catastrophic injuries due to the intense impact, which can lead to blunt force and penetrating injuries like:
  • Traumatic brain injuries, such as skull fractures and bleeding in the brain.
  • Chest trauma affecting the heart and other essential organs.
  • Penetrating injuries affecting the liver, kidneys, and other vital organs may cause blood loss.

In one tragic incident, two people lost their lives when a high-speed, wrong-way driver slammed into oncoming traffic in Santa Ana, causing a multi-car crash that left several others hospitalized. Events like this highlight the devastating consequences of reckless speed on CA roads.

This reckless behavior is more likely to cause fatal car accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. These road users lack protection, such as seatbelts, airbags, or a metal frame to absorb the impact.

Why Do Some Drivers Speed

Speeding is a form of aggressive driving. Many people do it for different reasons:

• Heavy Traffic — Traffic jams frustrate drivers. Some people speed or change lanes quickly to “get ahead.”
• Running Late — Some drivers often speed when they’re late for work, school, or appointments. For some commercial drivers, it could be because they want to meet tight deadlines or complete more deliveries. Speeding also causes some truck accidents, and it’s hazardous because large trucks are heavier and harder to stop.
• Deliberate Disregard of the Speed Rules — In California, the speed limit ranges between 65 and 70 miles per hour (mph) on highways in cities and 65 mph outside of cities. For larger vehicles like trucks, the speed limit is 55 mph on all roads. Drivers who knowingly exceed these limits may be acting with deliberate disregard for the law.

Crashes can happen when drivers go too fast for the road conditions. A safe speed on dry roads may be dangerous on wet or icy ones. If speeding causes a crash, car accident lawyers can help injured victims or, in fatal cases, support families seeking compensation.

Locations And Patterns In California Speeding-Related Accidents

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) reported on the patterns of speeding-related incidents. Rear-end accidents, collisions with fixed objects, and rollovers are among the most common types of car accidents linked to speeding. The agency reported the following information about speeding-related collisions that resulted in fatal and severe injuries between 2012 and 2016:

• Location — Approximately 62.1% of these collisions occur in urban areas. The data showed that most of these crashes occur in these counties:
  • Los Angeles
  • San Diego
  • Orange
  • San Bernardino
  • Riverside
  • Sacramento
  • Kern
  • Alameda
  • San Joaquin
• Day of the Week — Over 36% of speeding crashes happen on weekends. The risk is highest on Fridays between 3 p.m. and midnight.
• Time of the Day — Speeding-related crashes also happen on weekdays. Many occur during the afternoon commute, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., making up 13% of all fatal and serious injury cases.
• Victim Demographics — About 51% of the victims of these collisions were people between the ages of 15 and 34. Nearly 74% of the victims were male.
• Type of Accident — Speeding-related crashes can result in several types of collisions:
  • Rear-End Collisions — About 35% of serious or fatal speeding crashes involve one vehicle hitting the back of another.
  • Fixed Object Collisions — Approximately 23% involve drivers crashing into objects like poles, trees, or barriers.
  • Rollover Accidents — Around 12% of speeding-related crashes cause vehicles to overturn.
• Vehicles Involved — Most of these collisions involve passenger vehicles, making up 61.2% of cases, followed by motorcycles at 24.5%.

OTS also highlighted that in 2016, almost 30% of motor vehicle fatalities in California involved speeding collisions. That year, California had the second-highest number of speeding-related fatalities in the country.

What Else Causes Traffic Deaths In California?

Driver negligence, such as speeding, impairment, or distractions, is an example of what causes most road accidents. While speeding remains the leading cause of traffic deaths in California, several other dangerous behaviors put you and your family at risk on the road. The SWITRS data (2020–2024) shows how various factors contribute to fatal crashes in the Golden State:

*Note: Complete year-by-year data for drug-related fatalities is limited. The 751 deaths reflect 2021 data only.

Here are the other causes of traffic fatalities:

Driving Under The Influence (DUI)

Driving dangerously because of alcohol, drugs, or other harmful substances is against the law. These substances can make focusing harder, slow reaction time, and lead to bad decisions. While DUI laws cover a range of substances, alcohol remains the most common factor in impaired driving-related traffic accidents.

Drunk Driving

Drunk driving remains a serious problem mainly because alcohol is widely accessible, and some individuals still choose to drive even when intoxicated. According to SWITRS:

• The average number of fatalities due to drunk driving in California is 1,018 from 2020 to 2024. This number makes drunk driving the second leading cause of traffic deaths in California.
• The highest number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities was in 2021, with 1,166 deaths.
• The lowest was in 2024, with 841 fatalities.

In addition, the National Safety Council (NSC) says drunk driving and speeding often happen together. In fatal crashes, 41% of drivers ages 21 to 54 had alcohol in their system. Drivers under 21, who can’t legally drink, made up 28% of these crashes.

When comparing speeding vs. drunk driving fatality rates, speeding averaged 1,087 deaths per year, slightly more than alcohol-related fatalities. The data shows both remain major threats on California roads and often overlap in the same deadly crashes.

In California, the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is:

• 0.08% or higher for drivers 21 and older.
• 0.01% or higher for drivers under 21.
• 0.04% or higher for commercial drivers.

Some drivers think they can drive safely after drinking, but alcohol affects people differently. Drunk drivers often make poor choices, like speeding, which increases crash risks. Lawyers who handle drunk driving cases can help victims by gathering evidence, such as police reports that show alcohol was involved.

Drugged Driving

Similar to alcohol, drugs can also impair a driver’s ability to operate a vehicle safely. The Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) of UC Berkeley reported that:

• In California, 751 people died because of drug-related traffic accidents in 2021.
• Across the U.S., 10,903 people died in similar crashes that year.

Drugged driving doesn’t just involve illegal drugs. Some medicines, even over-the-counter medications, can make drivers sleepy, nauseous, or cause blurry vision. Medicines for colds, allergies, pain, depression, and sleep problems can have these side effects on some people. Collision lawyers can gather evidence that may establish whether medicine or drugs contributed to the accident.

Distracted Driving

A 2024 survey from the OTS shows that 73.5% of respondents believe texting or talking on the phone while driving is one of the top traffic safety issues in the state, next to speeding or aggressive driving. Data from SWITRS showed that:

The average number of fatalities in distracted driving in California is 124 between 2020 and 2024.

• The highest number in this period was in 2021, with 152 fatalities.
• The lowest was in 2024, with 85 deaths.

Across the United States, distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car crashes. Even a quick distraction can lead to a serious accident. Here are common distractions that cause crashes:

• Using phones or electronic devices.
• Adjusting the GPS or radio.
• Personal grooming, such as brushing hair or putting on makeup.
• Eating or drinking.
• Reaching for objects.
• Arguing or talking with passengers.
• Looking at things outside the car.
• Daydreaming or losing focus.

Since these crashes are so common, California made its hands-free law stricter in June 2025. Drivers are not allowed to hold their phones, even just to check maps. Phones must be mounted, and use is limited to one tap or swipe without holding the device.

Distracted driving accident lawyers can help victims by collecting vital evidence to show who was at fault. Examples include phone records, traffic camera videos, and eyewitness reports to prove the driver was distracted.

Other Factors That Play A Role In Traffic Fatalities In California

Traffic accidents can happen for several reasons. They could be caused by aggressive behavior, environmental factors, or just plain miscalculation.

Aggressive Driving

Aggressive driving includes dangerous actions like weaving through traffic, running red lights, or intentionally cutting off other drivers. According to a Forbes survey, 47.5% of California drivers said another driver had purposely cut them off.

According to the Automobile Association of America (AAA), aggressive driving is any dangerous behavior done on purpose, often to harm others or without regard for safety. Speeding is a form of aggressive driving. There are many other risky actions, including:

• Following other cars too closely (or tailgating).
• Slowing down after cutting someone off.
• Running red lights or ignoring stop signs.
• Quickly weaving through traffic.
• Changing lanes without a proper signal.
• Blocking other vehicles from passing or switching lanes.
• Flashing headlights or slamming on brakes to scare other drivers.

It’s important to know that some aggressive driving behaviors are against the law. These rules help enforce discipline and keep everyone safer on the road. For instance, tailgating is illegal in California.

Non-Driver Factors In Traffic Accidents

Most car accidents occur due to human error, but sometimes external causes contribute. Here are a few examples:

• Vehicle Malfunction — Crashes occur when a car part fails due to manufacturing defects or poor maintenance. If a faulty part causes an accident, the manufacturer may be liable under product liability. Examples include:
  • Brake failure
  • Tire blowouts
  • Steering issues
• Dangerous Road Conditions — Poor road conditions can cause accidents by making driving unsafe. These may include:
  • Uncovered potholes
  • Oil spills
  • Missing signs
  • Inadequate lighting
  • Uneven pavement
• If the government or a contractor doesn’t fix these issues, they could be liable for any accidents. Attorneys handling dangerous road conditions often gather evidence like maintenance records or construction reports to prove liability.

Car accident attorneys help injured victims understand their rights and take the proper steps after a crash. Many of these crashes are caused by negligent actions like speeding, distracted or drunk driving, or by hazardous road conditions. If the accident results in a fatality, wrongful death attorneys can also guide the victim’s family through a wrongful death claim.

Legal Options After A Deadly Traffic Crash In California

If your loved one dies in a traffic accident, you still have options under California law. The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) may also take action when traffic accidents involve fatalities or injuries.

The legal process for a fatal traffic collision is similar to a regular accident claim. There could be two options after a deadly traffic accident:

Wrongful Death Claim

A wrongful death from a speeding accident can lead to either a lawsuit or an insurance claim. These claims focus on the losses caused by a loved one’s sudden death. However, only certain people can file this type of claim if a traffic accident leads to death:

• A spouse or domestic partner of the deceased.
• The deceased person’s children.
• If none of the above applies, these people could be the victim’s parents, siblings, stepchildren, or close relatives.

The losses they may recover include:

• Funeral and burial costs, including fees for the service, cemetery, or cremation.
• Loss of income, especially if the person who died was the leading provider.
• Loss of care, love, and guidance helps support the family emotionally and socially.
• Emotional suffering by family members left behind.

Wrongful death lawyers can help the victims’ families and loved ones through the legal process. They can:

• Explain the family’s legal rights and options.
• File the wrongful death claim on behalf of the family.
• Collect important evidence like medical records, witness statements, and accident reports.
• Handle communication with insurance companies and the other party’s lawyer.

Survival Action

While a wrongful death claim focuses on the losses suffered by the surviving family, a survival action addresses the harm the deceased person experienced before they passed away. It covers the harm the decedent experienced between the time of the injury and the time of death. If the person did not die immediately after the injury, a survival action may be appropriate.

Only the estate representative can file a survival action. This person may be:

• A designated person from the victim’s will (e.g., a family member or a close friend).
• The victim’s lawyer, accountant, or conservator.
• A court-appointed representative if there is no will.

The estate can recover damages the deceased could have claimed if they had survived, including:

• Medical expenses related to the injury.
• Damage to the person’s property caused by the wrongful act.
• Lost income between the time of the injury and the time of death.
• Pain and suffering the person experienced before passing.

Wrongful death claims and survival actions help to recognize the losses both to the person who died and to their surviving loved ones. Each type of claim serves a different legal purpose, but both aim to bring justice. Wrongful death lawyers can help you understand the differences between these claims.

If you’ve lost a loved one in a traffic accident, you may ask, “Do I need a personal injury lawyer?” These cases fall under personal injury law, meaning injury attorneys can assist you. Some personal injury lawyers can handle both wrongful death and survival action claims.

How We Can Prevent Traffic Fatalities

To reduce the number of people who die in traffic accidents, we need to work together. This includes actions by both the government and everyday road users. Everyone has a role in making our roads safer.

For The Government

Local, state, and federal governments play a key role in making roads safer for everyone.

• Enforce the Rules — Stricter traffic laws can reduce dangerous driving. Police can increase checks for speeding, distracted driving, and DUI.
• Build Safer Roads — Better road design can help prevent crashes. Some examples are adding brighter streetlights, protected bike lanes, more apparent signs, and crosswalks that keep drivers and pedestrians safe.
• Spread Awareness — Educating people about the dangers of risky driving saves lives. These campaigns can remind everyone of safe driving practices.
• Encourage the Use of Car Safety Technology — Modern vehicles have features that help prevent accidents, such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping systems, and crash warning alerts.
• Involve the Community — Programs like Vision Zero in California show that when local governments, community leaders, and residents work together, they can improve traffic safety.

For Motorists

While government action is important, drivers also play a big part in keeping roads safe. Here are some steps motorists can take:

• Follow Traffic Laws — Drivers should obey the speed limit, stop at red lights, and follow all road signs. They must avoid texting or using phones while driving and should never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol or when overly tired.
• Wear Your Seatbelt — Seatbelts save lives. Drivers and all passengers should wear them at all times, no matter how short the trip.
• Drive Defensively — Good drivers stay alert and give plenty of space between vehicles. They check mirrors and blind spots before turning or changing lanes and always use their turn signals.
• Be Careful in Risky Areas — Drivers must slow down and pay extra attention in school zones, near crosswalks, and crowded places. They must also watch for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.
• Keep Your Vehicle Safe — Regular maintenance is essential. Drivers should ensure their brakes, tires, lights, and wipers are in good working condition to avoid accidents.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Leading Cause Of Traffic Fatalities In California

Many people facing these difficult situations have similar questions about their legal rights and options. Here are answers to the most common concerns we hear:

What Is The Law In California For Traffic Accidents?

Several laws apply to traffic accidents. However, California uses an at-fault system when deciding liability. The driver who caused the crash must pay for the injuries and damage they caused.

California also follows a rule called pure comparative negligence, which means responsibility for an accident can be shared among everyone involved. Even if you carry some responsibility, you may still recover compensation, but the amount is reduced based on your share. For example, if you are assigned 20% of the responsibility, you could still recover 80% of your damages.

In some cases, specific California Vehicle Codes may also help decide who is legally responsible. Here are some examples of these regulations:

• Basic Speed — Drivers must not drive faster than is safe for current conditions.
• Unsafe Lane Changes — Drivers must signal and ensure it’s safe before changing lanes.
• DUI — It’s illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Distracted Driving — Drivers cannot use handheld cell phones or text while driving.

Car accident lawyers can use any violation of these laws as evidence of negligence in a traffic accident case.

What Area Has The Highest Rate Of Reported Crashes In California?

When looking at California speeding accident statistics and overall crash data, Los Angeles County consistently reports the highest number of traffic incidents. Reports also show which city has the most car accidents in California. According to SWITRS, from 2020 to 2024:

• The 5-year average of fatal and injury crashes in the county is 41,851.
• The highest number of incidents in Los Angeles County was in 2020, with 45,340 crashes.

It is then followed by San Diego County, with an average crash rate of 12,891 in the same period. Several factors may have contributed to these high crash rates. Both counties have large populations, heavy traffic, and busy highways. Many drivers face long commutes, crowded roads, and distractions, which may increase the chances of accidents.

What Is The Deadline For Filing A Claim After A Fatal Traffic Accident In California?

California‘s statute of limitations gives families only two years from the date of death to file a claim. They may lose the right to seek compensation if they miss this deadline.

The same deadline applies to injury claims unless the victim is a minor. In the state, the statute of limitations for minors does not start until they turn 18. This means they must file a claim within two years of their 18th birthday. Until then, their parents or legal guardians can file the claim for them.

Traffic accident lawyers can help explain these critical deadlines. They can also check if any special exceptions apply to your case.

What Age Group Has The Most Road Deaths In California?

According to a report from the Department of Transportation (DOT), the highest number of fatalities and serious injuries occurs among adults aged 25 to 44. The report, based on 2017 crash data, says adults in this age group are often in more crashes because they spend more time on the road for work, errands, or travel.

Victims Can Have Legal Support After Traffic Accidents In California

Fatal accidents can leave families struggling with both grief and financial hardship. These crashes can happen because of drunk driving, speeding, and other unsafe behaviors. After a tragic accident, the people left behind often face many challenges. While nothing can undo the loss, families may have legal options to seek justice and compensation. Fatal car accident lawyers can provide support in this process.

Understanding the top causes of traffic deaths in California can help you make safer choices and recognize when another driver’s negligence caused your crash. Whether the other driver was speeding, impaired, or distracted, you have the right to seek compensation.

If you’ve lost a loved one in a traffic accident or suffered injuries due to another driver’s negligence, you don’t have to face this difficult time alone. Our experienced traffic accident lawyers at AK Law understand the financial and emotional toll these crashes take on California families.

We work on a contingency fee basis, so you won’t pay any legal fees unless we win your case. During your free consultation, our lawyers will explain the payment structure and how they handle case costs. Contact us today at (888) 488-1391 to discuss your legal options.