Redondo Beach California Motor Vehicle Accidents Law Blog

Fatal motor vehicle accidents are always tragic, but the unfortunate news is that they are not uncommon. They lead to a surprising number of deaths every year.

To start, here are the top five causes of death in the United States. These statistics are from 2017:

1. Heart disease. A total of 647,457 deaths.
2. Cancer: A total of 599,108 deaths.
3. Accidents: A total of 169,936 deaths.
4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases: A total of 160,201 deaths.
5. Stroke: A total of 146,383 deaths.

A crosswalk may give you the right of way. It may give you some protection in the sense that it alerts drivers that pedestrians may cross the road at that point. But it does not protect you at all when those drivers make a mistake. This is why it's so important to know what steps you can take to keep yourself safe.

To get you started, here are a few important safety tips:

• Never venture into the street without first stopping at the curb to visually inspect the crossing.
• There are cases where parked cars may make it hard to see or been seen from the curb. If so, you can move a step or two into the road, where you want to pause again at the outside edge of the nearest car.
• Do not just look both ways once. Instead, look three times. You start by looking left, then you look right and then you look left again.
• Remember that cars may turn and cross the intersection. They could turn left from the cross street or turn right behind you. Check in all directions and be aware as you cross.
• Speaking of being aware, do not use your phone when crossing the road. Never text as you walk. If you're listening to music, pause it until you cross safely.
• Keep your pace consistent. Do not slow down or speed up.
• Always assume drivers are not going to stop. Even if they're supposed to, do not walk in front of a car that is in motion.

As a motorcyclist, you always need to be aware of exactly what is happening in traffic around you. That's the main key to defensive driving. You need to react as soon as you can when someone else makes a mistake.

When you get close to an intersection, though, it's time to take things up a notch. Be even more attentive. Watch traffic more carefully. Plan your escape routes and be prepared to react instantly.

One of the most dangerous situations at an intersection is when someone runs a red light. The drivers on the cross street often have no idea they are at risk as they enter the intersection, and many of these crashes happen at high speeds as people try to beat the yellow light and fail to do so.

How dangerous is this? More than ever. A recent study found that we hit a 10-year-high when looking at the fatalities coming from this illegal practice of red-light running.