Mayor Garcetti Signs New Law to Lower Speed Limits on Los Angeles Streets

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177 Miles of Los Angeles Streets Will Reduce Speed Limits by 5 Miles Per Hour

Mar 17, 2022

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has signed into law recommendations from the Department of Transportation to reduce speed limits on approximately 177 miles of city streets. The mayor’s signature comes after the City Council approved such a measure, and will include a reduction of five miles per hour in the designated areas. The reduction in speed limits throughout Los Angeles is possible through recent legislation known as California Assembly Bill 43 (AB 43).

Mayor Garcetti Signs New Law to Lower Speed Limits on Los Angeles Streets

AB 43 was introduced by Glendale Assemblywoman Laura Friedman.

No parent should worry about their child going to school. No older adult should feel unsafe when they walk around her neighborhood. These are no accidents, it’s just that simple, and we know that the odds of dying of a traffic collision is higher at a greater speed. In fact, it goes up exponentially,” Garcetti said at a press conference earlier this month.

The ordinance was unanimously adopted on February 22 by the City Council, amending the Los Angeles Municipal Code to change the speed limits on the proposed streets.
Now that it has been signed by the mayor, the law will take effect a month after its publication, according to a report from NBC 4 Los Angeles.

Prior to AB 43 taking effect, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) was required to increase speeds on 200 miles of the city’s streets.
According to the LADOT, the chance of a pedestrian surviving a vehicle collision dramatically decreases depending on speed.

For example:

  • If the vehicle is traveling at 20 miles per hour, there is a 90% change of surviving
  • If the vehicle is traveling at 40 miles per hour, there is only a 10% chance of surviving

As humans, we’re not designed to survive an encounter with a moving vehicle going faster than 40 miles an hour,” said LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds.

“The day that we had to take that action of increasing speed limits on 200 miles of streets was an extremely dark day for those of us at the Department of Transportation and advocates everywhere who spend all of our time, energy and talent and treasure trying to change those statistics, trying to save those lives.'”

The LADOT has indicated it hopes that by reducing speeds, the severity of injuries will be reduced and reaction time in the event of a motor vehicle collision will be increased, thus improving safety.

Some of the Los Angeles-area streets impacted by the speed reduction ordinance include:
Streets ineligible for speed limit reductions per CA Vehicle Code Section

Speed Limit Changes to LAMC as authorized per CA Vechicle Code Section

For the full list of streets impacted by the Los Angeles speed reduction ordinance, please click here.

Which L.A. Intersections are Most Dangerous or Have the Most Car Accidents?

Which L.A. Intersections are Most Dangerous or Have the Most Car Accidents?

Earlier this week, local KTLA was reporting on a deadly hit-and-run accident in South Los Angeles – near Hoover and 84th streets – when to sedans slammed into each other. The Los Angeles car accident was captured on video.

Moreover, the Los Angeles Times has previously reported that residents of L.A.’s underserved communities are disproportionately killed in traffic crashes.

As of December 25, 2021, LAPD data indicated that the “greatest risk intersections” throughout the city included:

  • San Pedro Street and Washington Boulevard in South L.A.
  • Florence Avenue and Vermont Avenue in South L.A.
  • Oxnard Street and Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys
  • Highland Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood

Furthermore, Colin Sweeney, a Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesperson, told the Los Angeles Times that 2021 traffic crash statistics point to “speeding and reckless driving, coupled with design trends that make cars deadlier than ever before, with heavier frames and the addition of distracting features.”

We’ve seen these dramatic increases,” LAPD Chief Michael Moore stated at a police commission meeting last month. Moore specifically referenced the pedestrian accident death of Arian Rahbar, a 21-year-old USC student who was scar by a street racing vehicle near the school’s campus late last year.

The Los Angeles Times noted that Moore urged the public to “obey speed laws,” citing the rising number of motor vehicle collisions.

Los Angeles is not alone in experiencing an increase in traffic deaths during 2021. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently confirmed an 18% spike in traffic fatalities nationwide during the first six months of 2021.

Do I Need to Hire a Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer?

Hiring a car accident lawyer from Dordulian Law Group’s (DLG) Personal Injury Division to handle your injury claim can be a wise decision for a number of reasons. In fact, injured car accident victims who hire private attorneys often secure greater financial compensation for their claims.

For example, the Insurance Research Council (IRC) recently conducted a study which confirmed the following:

  • Settlements for injured claimants were 40% higher when they had secured private legal representation.
  • The average insurance payout was 3.5 times higher for injured victims who hired private attorneys (when compared to those representing themselves).
  • 85% of all money paid by insurance companies for bodily injuries is received by victims who have secured representation from a private personal injury attorney.

Injured California car accident victims are encouraged to always consult with an experienced, trusted, and proven attorney before:

  • Speaking to the at-fault party or their insurance carrier
  • Making any statement regarding your car accident
  • Signing any official documents
  • Accepting any type of settlement offer

With DLG, your Los Angeles car accident injury consultation is always free, confidential, and without any obligation. We’ll review the facts of your case and provide you with all available legal options to ensure your rights are protected and the maximum financial damages award you deserve is pursued. We serve car accident clients throughout California as well as the United States.

Some of the local areas we serve include:

  • Los Angeles
  • Glendale
  • Torrance
  • Long Beach
  • North Hollywood
  • Burbank
  • Pasadena
  • San Diego
  • Bakersfield
  • Sacramento
  • Fresno
  • Riverside
  • San Francisco
  • Granada Hills
  • Simi Valley
  • San Fernando Valley
  • Antelope Valley

California Car Accident Injury Claim Statute of Limitations

California car accident injury claims are typically bound by a two-year statute of limitations. This means that, unless you’re filing a claim against a government or public entity, you most likely have two years from the date of the incident to file a civil claim.

For government or public entity defendants, the California car accident statute of limitations may be much shorter – sometimes only six months from the date of the incident.

Regardless, injured victims are encouraged to contact a skilled and qualified DLG car accident lawyer as soon as possible after an incident to ensure evidence is preserved and the chances of reaching a successful resolution (either via a settlement or verdict) are not diminished.

How Much is My Car Accident Injury Case Worth?

One of the first questions we often hear from car accident injury victims is, “How much is my case worth?” Due to the often severe nature of car accident injuries, your civil lawsuit may be worth a significant sum of money (depending on the specific circumstances of the incident, including the degree of negligence).

The value of your California car accident injury lawsuit will be unique to the circumstances of the incident. But when you secure representation with DLG’s expert car accident lawyers, you can be confident that we will fight aggressively to secure the maximum financial compensation available that includes all applicable damages.

If you suffered a car accident injury due to negligence, you may be eligible to recover substantial financial compensation for various losses. When negligence or carelessness leads to a car accident injury, the at-fault party should be responsible for covering the resulting expenses, such as medical care costs, lost wages, and more.

Ready to file a claim and pursue justice through a financial damages award? Our expert attorneys are available online or by phone now.

Examples of common damages that may be recovered through a car accident injury civil claim include:

  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Medical care expenses
  • Hospital bills
  • Physical therapy or rehabilitation expenses
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional trauma

Contact a Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer

DLG has helped injured victims like you recover more than $200,000,000 in settlements and verdicts while maintaining a 98% success record. Contact us today for a free consultation at 866-GO-SEE-SAM. We’re available to answer any question you may have and here to help protect your legal right to financial compensation after a car accident injury.

DLG’s No Win/No Fee Guarantee means you never pay a penny until we’ve successfully recovered a maximum financial damages award for your car accident injury claim.

Author

Samuel Dordulian

Samuel Dordulian, founder

Sam Dordulian is an award-winning sexual abuse lawyer with over 25 years' experience helping survivors secure justice. As a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for L.A. County, he secured life sentences against countless sexual predators. Mr. Dordulian currently serves on the National Leadership Council for RAINN.




Go See Sam