Los Angeles County Ranked #11 Among Worst Commutes in California

Jul 26, 2022

Commuting in Los Angeles can be a burdensome experience. While exact figures vary, websites such as Bestplaces.net estimate that the average one-way commute in L.A. takes approximately 30.9 minutes (much higher than the U.S. national average of 26.4 minutes). In 2019, Curbed Los Angeles reported that more than 150,000 people in Los Angeles County spend three hours traveling to-and-from work.

Which California Counties Have the Worst Driving Commutes?

• Which California Counties Have the Worst Commutes?
• Top 10 California Counties With the Worst Commutes
• How Dangerous is Commuting and How Often Do Car Accidents Occur?
• Which States Have the Most Dangerous/Deadly Commutes?
• Can I File a Lawsuit if I Was Injured in a Commuting Car Accident?
• How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in California?
• Contact DLG’s Los Angeles, California, Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

According to Curbed:

“Between 2009 and 2017, the number of LA County residents with commutes longer than 90 minutes increased by nearly 30,000 – a 22 percent spike. Those numbers include trips by car or on public transportation. Neighboring Orange County saw a 29 percent bump in super-commuters over the same time period, and in Riverside County, the number of super-commuters rose 31 percent.”

Commutes to work and school can lead to car accident injuries and even fatalities. A recent report from a travel, sports, and lifestyle news website known as Stacker included a list of counties throughout California with the worst commutes. The list was compiled by Stacker using data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

In the sections below, we will look at which area California counties made Stacker’s list for worst commutes in the state. We’ll also review how commutes often lead to car accidents and how to file a claim for financial compensation if you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence.

Which California Counties Have the Worst Commutes?

According to Stacker, Los Angeles County ranks as having the eleventh worst commute in the state, with an average commute time of 31.8 minutes. That lengthy commute is estimated to be 6.7% longer than the overall California average and 15.2% longer than the national average.

Additionally, Los Angeles County reportedly ranks as the #277 longest commute among counties throughout the nation.

Some additional statistics on Los Angeles County commutes (per Stacker’s list) include:

• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 4.0%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 14.5%
• Worked outside county of residence: 7.1%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (74%), carpooled (9.5%), walked (2.7%), public transportation (5.8%), worked from home (5.6%)

Top 10 California Counties With the Worst Commutes

Stacker’s list of counties which rank worse than Los Angeles County in terms of overall commute times includes:

#10. Marin County

• Average commute time: 32.6 minutes
• #220 longest among all counties nationwide
• 9.4% longer than state average
• 18.1% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 4.3%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 7.9%
• Worked outside county of residence: 36.3%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (64.1%), carpooled (8.2%), walked (3.4%), public transportation (9.6%), worked from home (12.4%)

#9. Amador County

• Average commute time: 32.7 minutes
• #213 longest among all counties nationwide
• 9.7% longer than state average
• 18.5% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 7.1%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 21.0%
• Worked outside county of residence: 30.8%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (78.8%), carpooled (8.8%), walked (1.7%), public transportation (0.1%), worked from home (9.4%)

#8. Solano County

• Average commute time: 33.2 minutes
• #183 longest among all counties nationwide
• 11.4% longer than state average
• 20.3% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 7.4%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 22.5%
• Worked outside county of residence: 41.7%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (76.5%), carpooled (13.2%), walked (1.2%), public transportation (3.2%), worked from home (4.5%)

#7. San Francisco County

• Average commute time: 33.8 minutes
• #151 longest among all counties nationwide
• 13.4% longer than state average
• 22.5% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 3.9%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 5.7%
• Worked outside county of residence: 22.9%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (32.1%), carpooled (6.9%), walked (11.8%), public transportation (34.8%), worked from home (6.6%)

#6. Riverside County

• Average commute time: 34 minutes
• #138 longest among all counties nationwide
• 14.1% longer than state average
• 23.2% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 7.7%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 24.2%
• Worked outside county of residence: 29%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (78.3%), carpooled (11.9%), walked (1.4%), public transportation (1.3%), worked from home (5.4%)

#5. San Joaquin County

• Average commute time: 34.2 minutes
• #131 longest among all counties nationwide
• 14.8% longer than state average
• 23.9% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 10.2%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 24.1%
• Worked outside county of residence: 29.2%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (78.8%), carpooled (12.9%), walked (1.4%), public transportation (1.7%), worked from home (4.1%)

#4. Alameda County

• Average commute time: 34.3 minutes
• #127 longest among all counties nationwide
• 15.1% longer than state average
• 24.3% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 4.9%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 10.6%
• Worked outside county of residence: 36.8%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (60.9%), carpooled (9.8%), walked (3.5%), public transportation (15.8%), worked from home (6.4%)

#3. San Benito County

• Average commute time: 35.7 minutes
• #81 longest among all counties nationwide
• 19.8% longer than state average
• 29.3% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 9.3%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 22.8%
• Worked outside county of residence: 54.6%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (80.8%), carpooled (12.3%), walked (1.4%), public transportation (0.6%), worked from home (3.2%)

#2. Calaveras County

• Average commute time: 38.3 minutes
• #38 longest among all counties nationwide
• 28.5% longer than state average
• 38.8% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 8.4%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 21.0%
• Worked outside county of residence: 45.5%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (76.8%), carpooled (10.7%), walked (1.3%), public transportation (1%), worked from home (9.8%)

#1. Contra Costa County

• Average commute time: 38.7 minutes
• #33 longest among all counties nationwide
• 29.9% longer than state average
• 40.2% longer than national average
• Workers with 90+ minute commute: 9.2%
• Left for work from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.: 16.7%
• Worked outside county of residence: 42.5%
• Means of transportation: drove alone (67.5%), carpooled (11.5%), walked (1.6%), public transportation (10.9%), worked from home (6.6%)

How Dangerous is Commuting and How Often Do Car Accidents Occur?

Last year, more than 1,465 people were seriously injured in Los Angeles car accidents. That figure can be particularly sobering for drivers with long commutes every day, as the more time you spend on the road, the more likely you are to be involved in an avoidable car accident – whether due to distracted driving, drowsy driving, drunk driving, or even speeding.

A 2018 report from Big Think based on statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) noted that 2016 was the “most lethal year” since 2007 for American drivers, with nearly 40,000 people losing their lives in car accidents.

By looking at the times at which these car accidents occurred, Big Think was able to infer that 24% of those collisions – or approximately one in four – occurred while commuting during morning or evening drive times (with evening crashes claiming 62% overall).

The report also noted:

• Friday is the most dangerous commuting day in terms of overall car accidents.
• September and October were “especially deadly” months for commuters.

Which States Have the Most Dangerous/Deadly Commutes?

But while California’s Sonoma County ranked among the highest in the nation in terms of deadly commutes, the Golden State was not among the most dangerous commuting states. In fact, New Hampshire was found to be the most dangerous state for commuters, with the following states also rounding out the top spots:

• South Dakota
• Oklahoma
• Utah

Overall, Connecticut was found to be the safest of all states in terms of commutes. The other top safest states for commuters included:

• Maryland
• Texas
• Hawaii

Can I File a Lawsuit if I Was Injured in a Commuting Car Accident?

If you’ve been injured in a car accident that was due to another’s negligence, you may be able to recover a cash settlement for various damages. Drivers have a duty of care under the law, which means that engaging in dangerous behavior like distracted driving, drowsy driving, or driving under the influence of alcohol or marijuana and causing a crash constitutes negligence. But drivers can be found to be at fault in car accidents for any number of reasons, including:

• Rear-ending another vehicle
• T-boning another car while running a stoplight
• Failure to yield crashes

After a car accident injury, the ensuing hospital or medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional turmoil can all be part of a long road to recovery. Filing a personal injury claim after a car accident can be a means of recovering much-needed financial compensation for all of your losses.

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

In California, most personal injury civil claims – including car accidents – are bound by a two-year statute of limitations. This means that, in most cases, you have two years from the date of a car accident or other type of motor vehicle collision to file a civil lawsuit for financial compensation.

However, the experienced car accident lawyers at Dordulian Law Group (DLG) strongly encourage all injured victims to arrange for free consultations immediately after receiving medical care. Doing so can help preserve your opportunity to recover the maximum financial compensation you deserve for your claim.

In addition, some car accident claims such as those filed against public or government entities are bound by a shorter statute of limitations – often only six months. Accordingly, it’s recommended that you reach out to a proven and trusted car accident lawyer right away after experiencing an injury.

Contact DLG’s Los Angeles, California, Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

DLG’s top-rated and dedicated Los Angeles car accident lawyers are here to help you secure justice and recover the maximum financial compensation you deserve after an unfortunate car accident. Our consultations are always free, confidential, and without any obligation. And with our proven results for past clients – including more than $100,000,000 successfully recovered in settlements and verdicts – you can be confident that your car accident claim is in the best possible hands.

Our experienced attorneys can help you pursue a financial award for your personal injury case. Contact us online or by phone for a free consultation today.

At DLG, we believe everyone should have access to excellent legal representation after a car accident injury, regardless of personal financial means. Our No Win/No Fee Guarantee ensures you’ll never pay anything upfront or out-of-pocket. If we don’t win and help you secure a maximum financial damages award, you don’t pay a penny – it’s that simple.

Contact a DLG California car accident lawyer today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM to learn more about how much your injury claim may be worth.