Personal injury attorneys work with clients who, through no fault of their own, have suffered a serious Folsom car accident injury. Over the past several years, our Folsom accident attorneys have become increasingly concerned about the rise in car crash injuries locally. Since our focus here is Folsom , our personal injury law attorney is aware that accidents dipped during the recession and then steadily rose with economic recovery in Folsom . Accident attorneys say this may be due to more people driving more miles on the roadways of Folsom . Car accident injuries will naturally rise with increased traffic, so long as drivers continue old habits that contribute to car crash injuries and deaths.

Our Folsom personal injury law attorney refers to the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) for data on just where we stand in Folsom for car accident injuries and death, relative to other similar communities. And, our accident attorneys regret to report, the picture isn’t positive for drivers in Folsom . Accident attorneys explain the OTS compares our region to 13 communities with comparable populations. In 2012, the statistics for alcohol involved accident injuries was a warning sign for Folsom . Our personal injury law attorney reports that we ranked 4th out of the 13 counties. And, equally alarming according to our Folsom accident attorneys, 3rd for alcohol impaired drivers under the age of 21. This data indicates that in Folsom , car crash injuries and deaths due to drunk driving needs the community’s attention. The overall 2012 OTS data logged 1,981 Folsom car accident injuries or deaths, placing us 8th in the ranking. There were 1,286 DUI arrests during this period in the County of Folsom . Last summer, our personal injury attorney says a number of fatal crashes of wrong-way drivers plagued the freeways of Folsom . Accident attorneys report that alcohol was a factor in most (if not all) of these accidents around Folsom .

Personal injury attorneys also have a growing concern about people driving under the influence of prescription drugs. Additionally, the use (and potential legalization) of marijuana will increase threats of DUIs in Folsom .

Accident Attorneys Say Upward Trend Continues in Folsom

Personal injury attorneys remind drivers that from 2006 and 2010, California traffic deaths fell by a significant 36 percent. Traffic officials say the drop in car accident injuries and deaths may be due, in part, to safety innovations. Folsom personal injury attorneys point to mandatory seat belt use and airbag technology as part of the reduction. But even with such innovations, Folsom personal injury law attorneys point out that, since 2010, car accident injuries have increased in California and Folsom .

Accident attorneys speculate that a portion of this increase might be traced to the growth of technology in cars. Distracted driving related to cell phone use is clearly a problem in Folsom . Personal injury law attorneys report that the statewide ban on calls and texting hasn’t been widely adopted. Our Folsom accident attorneys say that many drivers even admit to being distracted due to smartphone use. And, personal injury attorneys say that traffic laws can barely keep up with technology. Smart phones and the development of ‘smart cars’ present even more distractions for drivers in Folsom .

Personal injury attorneys wonder if some of the technologies now available and being introduced might even encouraged distracted driving in Folsom . Accident attorneys point to devices that automatically sense a vehicle that’s too close and signal the driver. Personal injury attorneys wonder if such technologies will add to inattention on the roadways in Folsom .

Car accident attorneys say traffic officials admit that distracted driving car crash injuries are under-reported. Still, OTS reports a documented increase over the past year of 2.6 percent distracted car crash injuries or deaths. Folsom car accident attorneys look forward to heightened enforcement of distracted driving laws as technology use continues to encroach on our driving behavior.

Personal injury law attorneys add that other factors also contribute to increased Folsom accidents. Attorneys point out that the end of the recession inspired a rise in the purchase of motorcycles. The popularity of bigger bikes among older riders, our personal injury attorney says, may account for an uptick in Folsom car crash injuries for bike riders. In a similar vein, accidents among bicyclists and pedestrians also appears to be on the rise in Folsom .

Our personal injury attorney is particularly worried about the vulnerability of pedestrians in Folsom . Accident attorneys point out that much of the county is rural and suburban. Streets in such areas are often very wide and designed for vehicles in Folsom . Accident attorneys say that traffic moves faster and is more dangerous to pedestrians. Car accident injuries to pedestrians are almost always severe or deadly. Unfortunately, just this year we’ve seen a number of pedestrians killed due to Folsom car crash injuries. In fact, Folsom accident attorneys say that OTS reported our county experienced the highest death rate of pedestrians of all counties surrounding Folsom . Accident attorneys say pedestrian fatalities accounted for 31.7 percent of all traffic deaths.

Increased Vigilance and Outreach in Folsom

Personal injury attorneys look forward to a statewide program designed to keep pedestrians safer throughout the state and in Folsom . Accident attorneys say the outreach effort will include social media, billboards, and TV and radio spots. Public education, our Folsom personal injury attorney agrees, is critical to turning around a very troubling trend. The program will be launched in Folsom , accident attorneys say, before it’s rolled out statewide. Scheduled to begin in October, our personal injury attorney says a character named “Pete Walker” represents pedestrians. He wears a suit of armor to get the attention of drivers in Folsom . Accident attorneys say the message is “Pedestrians don’t have armor,” and urges drivers to “be aware” of pedestrians in Folsom . Our personal injury attorney reports that several billboards are already up as a warning to drivers in Folsom .

As personal injury attorneys, we represent people injured in Folsom accidents. But our injury attorney primarily wants a safe community for our families, friends and neighbors in Folsom . Our accident attorneys encourage drivers take their responsibility seriously, like the matter of life and death it is.