2022 Los Angeles Traffic Fatalities Hit All-Time Highs

2022 Los Angeles Traffic Fatalities Hit All-Time Highs

Jan 18, 2023

Los Angeles County can be a dangerous place for motorists, pedestrians, and even bicyclists. While 2021 was one of the deadliest years for Los Angeles-area drivers, 2022 proved to be even more lethal, with traffic fatalities hitting all-tine highs.

2022 Los Angeles Traffic Fatalities Hit All-Time Highs

• 2022 Los Angeles Car Accident Deaths Hit Record Highs
• New 2022 Los Angeles Traffic Accident Statistics Highlight Dangerous Intersections
• How to File a Los Angeles Car Accident Injury Claim for Compensation
• How to File a Los Angeles Wrongful Death Car Accident Claim
• How Long Do I Have to File a California Car Accident Claim?
• Get the DLG Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Advantage

Let’s take a look at the new 2022 Los Angeles car accident statistics report and see how it compares to findings from the previous year. We’ll also provide some important information on how to file a claim for financial compensation after a car accident injury.

2022 Los Angeles Car Accident Deaths Hit Record Highs

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) data confirmed that 289 people were killed in traffic collisions through December 25, 2021. Those deaths represented a 21% increase from the same period in 2020 (and a 19% increase from 2019 figures). But while 2021 was a particularly dangerous year on Los Angeles roadways – with 1,465 people seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents – 2022 was one of the worst-ever on record.

A study conducted by nonprofit organization SAFE (Safe Streets for Everyone) confirmed that 309 traffic fatalities occurred in 2022 – marking the first time roadway deaths surpassed the 300 mark in over two decades.

That spike in Los Angeles traffic fatalities represents a:

• 5% increase from 2021 (a particularly deadly year in its own right)
• 28% increase from 2020

Pedestrians and cyclists saw the largest increases in traffic-related deaths, according to a Los Angeles Magazine (LAMag) report.

As for why Los Angeles streets turned deadlier in 2022, SAFE officials pointed to speeding and distracted driving.

“Angelenos are speeding and they’re not paying attention to pedestrians and cyclists,” Damian Kevitt, SAFE’s Executive Director, told LAMag. “These are preventable traffic collisions – these lives don’t need to be lost… It’s a preventable tragedy every single time.”

LAMag noted that the 2022 Los Angeles car accident statistics are a “horrific reminder that things have not improved in Los Angles” since then-Mayor Eric Garcetti launched the Vision Zero initiative in 2015.

Some of that program’s ambitious goals included:

• Reducing traffic fatalities citywide by 20% in the first two years
• Reducing traffic fatalities citywide to zero by 2025

But since Vision Zero was launched in 2015, traffic deaths increased a dramatic 140% in 2016 and then “continued to outdo [the inaugural year] by 132% in 2017,” according to LAMag.

Moreover, the Los Angeles Times confirmed that 2022 traffic fatalities in L.A. actually outpaced national trends

“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that fatalities from traffic crashes were essentially flat nationwide in the first nine months of 2022 compared with 2021. Fatalities among cyclists and pedestrians rose nationwide last year but were lower than the percentage rise seen in L.A.,” the Times said.

The surge in L.A. traffic fatalities impacting local motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists has been an ongoing subject of concern and frustration for activist groups.

“It’s frustrating and infuriating,” SAFE’s Damian Kevitt added. “All of these fatalities are preventable.”

Connie Llanos, interim general manager of the L.A. Transportation Department, told the Times that Angelenos need to “recognize that how we drive can either save lives or take them.” Llanos also pointed out that those types of fatalities “disproportionately involve children, seniors, and the unhoused in communities of color and poor neighborhoods,” according to the Times.

“No one should accept this,” she said.

New 2022 Los Angeles Traffic Accident Statistics Highlight Dangerous Intersections

The LAPD also identified the Los Angeles-area’s “greatest-risk intersections.”

In 2022, the most dangerous intersections around the city included:

• Soto Street and Washington Boulevard in South L.A.
• Florence and Vermont avenues in South L.A.
• Balboa Boulevard and Saticoy Street in Lake Balboa
• Cahuenga Boulevard and Selma Avenue in Hollywood

For a complete list of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Intersections in Los Angeles, please click here.

How to File a Los Angeles Car Accident Injury Claim for Compensation

If you’ve been injured in a Los Angeles car accident or motor vehicle collision because of someone’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover a cash settlement by filing your claim with Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) California personal injury attorneys.

By filing a civil lawsuit, injured victims may be able to secure compensation for various damages, such as:

• Hospital bills (past and future)
• Medical expenses (past and future)
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional trauma
• Lost wages
• Diminished quality of life
• Lost earning capacity

Contact DLG’s car accident lawyers today by calling 866-GO-SEE-SAM. Founded by Sam Dordulian, a former Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County, DLG’s car accident and personal injury attorneys have helped clients like you secure more than $100,000,000.00 in settlements and verdicts.

How to File a Los Angeles Wrongful Death Car Accident Claim

When a tragic death occurs as a result of a traffic accident, the surviving family members may be eligible to recover financial compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit.

Common damages that may be secured through a wrongful death claim include:

• Loss of financial support
• Loss of pension
• Loss of insurance
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of consortium
• Funeral and burial expenses

Contact a DLG California wrongful death attorney today to discuss your case.

How Long Do I Have to File a California Car Accident Claim?

The statute of limitations for most personal injury claims – including car accidents, truck crashes, motorcycle wrecks, etc. – is typically two years from the date that the incident occurred. This is also largely true for wrongful death claims.

Some incidents, however, such as those involving public or government entities may have a more limited window of time in which an injured victim can file a claim – sometimes as short as six months. Accordingly, it is recommended that injured victims contact an experienced and qualified DLG lawyer as soon as possible following an accident to ensure that their claims are filed within the applicable California statute of limitations.

Get the DLG Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Advantage

If you’ve been injured by another driver’s negligence, carelessness, or recklessness, DLG’s accident attorneys will fight to ensure that you make a complete recovery – physically, emotionally, and financially. Securing all applicable damages after a traffic crash – both economic and non-economic – requires a high level of legal knowledge, skill, and experience. At DLG, we’ve helped countless injured car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, and scooter accident victims recover financial compensation for their claims, and we’re dedicated to helping you secure justice and a maximized cash settlement which takes into account the full extent of your injuries.

Schedule an appointment online for a free consultation today, or call us directly to speak to our top-rated, expert car accident attorneys.

Contact us today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free consultation.