There is no denying that driving in Los Angeles can be a safety issue. The traffic is horrendous during certain hours of the day, which always increases safety risks. The National Safety Council estimated a total of 21,450 motor-vehicle deaths for the first six months of 2021, which is a 16% increase from 18,480 in 2020. How can you ensure you are taking all possible safety precautions when driving in LA? A simple way to start is to follow these five tips.
Never Drive Under the Influence
California has a very low tolerance for drinking and driving. According to CHP, the legal limit of intoxication in California is 0.08%. The risk of injury can be even greater during the holiday season. According to the California Highway Patrol, there were 491 arrests for DUI during the 2020 New Year’s holiday, which is about one every four minutes. The California Highway Patrol does not take drunk driving lightly. Of course, driving while intoxicated is a huge safety risk for yourself and everyone else on the road.
Avoid Grid Lock Hours
The traffic in LA will slow to a crawl during certain hours of the day. To improve safety on the road in LA, stay off the roads between 7:30 am and 9:30 am and from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm. During this time traffic can be at a standstill and safety concerns can rise.
Sitting on the freeway for hours can be very frustrating and cause lots of distractions. While speed is luckily not an issue, that does not mean that there are not plenty of fender benders during these frustratingly snail-paced standstills. Avoid the crazy gridlock and you will avoid some of the risks.
Use Technology to Find Alternate Routes
Tap into the power of your GPS. A GPS does more than provide directions. It can also notify you about safety issues up ahead like a car accident or police presence. You can also use your GPS to find alternative routes instead of taking the routes that are congested. Technology can be especially useful when it comes to improving your trips through the crowded streets in LA. Plug in your destination and see if it helps.
Sign Up For Sig Alerts
California Highway Patrol offers a service called Sig Alerts. Using Sig Alerts along with GPS technology can give you a double layer of information about the roads ahead and ultimately add a layer of safety to your driving. Sig Alerts provide information about traffic, accidents, road conditions, and more. You may get news from these alerts that your GPS has yet to pick up. It is important to know about potential hazards on your route.
Avoid Travel When the Dodgers Are Playing
Check the baseball schedule before you leave home. This may sound like a crazy thing to do, but if the Dodgers have a home game you will want to avoid getting on the road around the time the game gets out. You also want to stay off the road when there are other big events happening. Plan your travel around these big events to improve safety and keep you from having to sit forever in traffic.
Learn the Rules of the Road
Become very familiar with the rules of the road in Los Angeles. The city and the county may have different driving rules that your local area does. For example, in California, you can turn left at a red light after stopping. This may take many drivers by surprise if they are visiting LA for the first time because going right on red is prohibited in many areas. Have you ever heard of the California “rolling stop”? This is a term that is used because in California you only must stop at a stop sign for three short seconds.
Learn more about the traffic laws in LA before you get behind the wheel. Follow these tips to increase safety while driving in LA.
