Driving Safely in Southern California

January 31, 2017 19 Comments

When you think of California, you think of the gorgeous beaches, the incredible sunsets, and mountain views. Terrible driving more than likely is not on your radar, but it should be.
If this is your first time attempting to drive on the freeways of Southern California, then get ready for an experience. The roadways in California can intimidate even the experienced driver.

1. There is little public transportation
Most other large cities such as New York or Boston offer a subway that you can hop on to take you wherever you need to go. Unfortunately, in Southern California, the transportation system is quite limited because everything is so far way from each other.

2. There is a lot of cars
Congestion is just a fact of life. There are very few drivers who are polite, so be ready for aggressive driving. Don’t be shocked if you are blown at or given a one-finger wave.

3. Timing is crucial
Plan your route out at the beginning of the day, try to avoid rush hour. If you are in San Diego make sure and avoid driving during rush hour. It’s a long stretch of time, but the worst traffic is between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. Santa Barbara and Ventura only have two lanes so try to avoid traveling to either of these cities on Fridays or Sundays.

4. Pay attention at all times
There is always lots of traffic, and it is frightening, but a normal occurrence in on the freeway to go from cruising down the freeway at 80 mph to a dead stop. Make sure you keep both eyes on the road. No texting or talking on the phone. California is unique due to the fact many of its freeways offer exit only lanes.

5. Be aware of the Motorcycles
California law allows for motorcycle drivers to drive between the lanes. Please, check carefully before switching lanes.

6. Potholes are not your friend
California freeways are constantly under stress due to the high volume of traffic on the roads. This leads to a lot of potholes. Do your best to hold on as you enjoy the bumpy ride.
Follow these six tips, and you will be a Southern California driving professional.

This article was written by premier Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyers at: https://www.pacificattorneygroup.com

Issues Affecting the Community

March 23, 2017

California to Generate Their Electricity

There is a study underway about generating electricity by the Energy Commission in California. The Commission plans to team up with either a university or business which will take care of field tests on the project. The study is meant to determine whether electricity can be obtained from the mechanical energy produced by moving vehicles on roads. The experiment involves small compressed crystals of piezoelectric installed under asphalt to create energy. Although similar projects in other countries have been terminated, the commission is determined to try and has set aside $2 million to invest in the same. The commission’s chief of energy research and development, Mike Gravely who believes in the project, hopes that California will meet its 2030 goal of producing 50% of the state’s electricity by using renewables and energy from the cars on roads. The question people should ask is whether this technology will justify investment opportunities as compared to other renewables. Even the project comes with risks, Mike Gravely believes in trying, and it doesn’t mean it will fail because others have failed.

Even if the scientists guarantee that the technology works, there are possible setbacks that cannot be ignored. An engineering lecturer at the University of Washington doubts the ability of the technology to withstand wear and tear of traffic. His argument is based on the need to resurface the highways after every ten to thirty years. Another setback is the fact that similar projects have been tried in other countries like Tokyo, Italy, and Israel and have failed or terminated before completion and led to their liquidation. To prevent making the same mistake in California, Mike Gatto, and California Assemblyman requested for some funds from the energy commission to finance pilot projects. He also believes that the failed projects were terminated for not investing enough funds in them. If the study goes through, it will not be a wonder to hear other cities with high traffic going for the project.

Traffic safety & Road Conditions

February 23, 2017

When looking at traffic conditions in some of the major urban and suburban Californian areas, conditions tend to be either busy and fast moving or downright slow. Driving during rush or commute hours in Los Angeles and the Bay Area is almost impossible as L.A. is often rated as having the worst traffic in the country with the Bay Area being second or third. This pattern of high traffic is also surprisingly visible on primary and rural freeways like Interstate 5 and State Route 99 particularly in the holiday season.

When looking for an excellent analysis of traffic, Google’s traffic reports for major cities like L.A and San Francisco tend to very accurate. Using Google maps on a mobile phone is a boon towards traveling with a lot of relevant information unless you do not have an active internet connection. Another good source for traffic reports is the local media. For instance, many local radio stations provide up to date traffic reports that can be used while driving unlike phone maps. Two good examples of radio stations in the Bay Area are KCBS AM 740 and KQED FM. KCBS provides traffic reports every ten minutes while KQED provides them every 15 minutes during busy hours.

Although traffic reports can be helpful, sometimes driving in the Bay Area can mean that there are simply no alternative routes to go on your commute rendering the reports useless. Still, traffic reports can tell you whether to stay and wait or leave an area if it is exceptionally busy. Finding alternative routes in the height of traffic can be tough unless you are a local to the area and aware of the best routes to avoid the mess. Sometimes avoiding urban highways can lead to a quicker arrival to your destination. This tactic is often known as surfacing, and it is very prominent in some parts of L.A and the Bay Area. Surfacing can be dangerous if the driver is inexperienced as he might take routes that might be dangerous if his car breaks down or routes that have worse traffic conditions than the route he is trying to avoid. Similarly, surfacing or taking a surface route (as it is sometimes called) the wrong way can lead to undesirable effects like a traffic gridlock if a lot of other drivers attempt to do the same thing.

Another way to determine what traffic conditions are in much of California State including Los Angeles and the Bay Area is calling Caltrans. By just dialing 511, Caltrans can provide any driver relevant information like traffic delays and public transit status.

How to Get the California Good Driver Discount and Save on Your Insurance

February 16, 2017
In order to attract consumers in an industry that is highly competitive, insurance companies have come up with various discount offers that give better rates to some types of motorists. There are offers for military veterans, students, electric car owners and people insuring multiple vehicles through the same company.
However, as far as California is concerned, there is one auto insurance discount that just can’t be beat. It’s called the “Good Driver Discount.”What Is the California Good Driver Discount All About?

In 1988, various changes were made to insurance-related regulations in California. One of them was Proposition 103, which was voted into law and is what created the Good Driver Discount. Because of it, all car insurers doing business in California are required to give a 20% discount to policyholders who qualify for it.

What Are the Requirements?

The most important rule is that to qualify for the California Good Driver Discount, you must have held a license to drive a motor vehicle for at least the past three years. Licenses issued by all states and Canadian provinces qualify. During that three year period, you must have avoided the following:

  • Being found at-fault for any traffic accident (51% of higher responsibility).
  • Attended traffic school for traffic law violations more than once.
  • Received over one demerit point on your driving record.

If you’re looking for motorcycle coverage, keep in mind that in order to be eligible for the California Good Driver Discount, your license must have had a motorcycle endorsement for the past three years. A license to drive an ordinary passenger car isn’t enough to earn you a mandatory discount for motorcycle coverage. However, you may be eligible for other discounts provided by the insurer, especially if you already have a car insured with them.

Basic Driving Safety Reminders

February 7, 2017
As new California drivers get experience behind the wheel, they tend to forget some of the basics of safe driving. Although drivers learn safe driving practices and must use them to pass their driving test, some routine aspects of driving are forgotten with time. Keep yourself and other drivers safe on California’s roadways by remembering these basic but important rules.
Signaling

Your turn signals are important for communicating your intentions to other drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians, so be sure to use them. Always signal when turning, changing lanes, pulling away from a curb or moving toward a curb to park. Remember to signal about 100 feet before turning. If your turn is just after an intersection, turn your signal on when in the intersection rather than when approaching it so those behind you don’t think you will be turning at the intersection. Remember, too, that you can use hand signals if you are on a bicycle or feel other drivers may not see your turn signal for any reason.

Steering

Proper steering is important for keeping control of your vehicle and for keeping you safe. Keep your hands at 9 and 3 o’clock or at 9 and 4 o’ clock. Keeping your hands in one if these positions when turning will prevent you from doing so too sharply. Keeping your hands on the bottom half of the wheel also reduces your risk of hand and wrist injuries in the event of an accident. It is best to avoid hand-over-hand steering unless you are parking or taking an extremely sharp right turn. It is also best to keep both hands on the wheel, removing one only when you need it to operate vehicle controls such as the windshield wipers or defrost controls.

Although these are simple tips, it’s easy to get lazy when driving starts to feel more natural and comfortable. Remind yourself and your young drivers that these practices, though basic, are important safety maneuvers that should always be art of their drive.

Car Accident Study

January 26, 2017

A team of professionals consisting of Lawyers, private investigators, and an Accident Re-constructionist in Los Angeles came together to conduct a study on road accidents. The study will be completed in the middle of 2017. The main aim of the survey is to determine the primary causes of accidents in Southern California. Meetings will be held monthly to discuss whatever information the experts have acquired on the current and past accidents from the Accident data center and the local news outlets and their individual research. Discussions on Los Angeles Car accidents and updates can easily be accessed online where different people share their opinions through dialogue to validate the previous data.

Accidents are not only caused by distracted driving as many individuals think. Some of the causes are beyond the drivers’ control like mechanical problems that the driver was not aware. Those hidden details will be revealed at the end of this study and put to a stop fake news spreading all over the internet because the team of experts have no intentions to leave any detail, however, tiny it is. The readers of this site and other related pages should not worry because you will continue getting updates as the study progresses to make sure that you are informed.

Considering that the survey needs various resources to execute it, well-wishers are requested to make donations. The funds received will only be used to retain the professionals involved, get information and fund all the activities concerning the study and also for 2017 tax deductions. With the data that will be obtained, it is guaranteed that traffic in Los Angeles will reduce and car accident issue will be in the past.

New Traffic Laws in California

5 Comments

Traffic Laws are essential not only to the driver but also to passengers, pedestrians, and motorists. These laws are often ignored mostly when the traffic officers are not in sight. What people forget when not following these rules is that they are risking not only their lives but also the lives of others involved. In California, new traffic laws have been disclosed and have been effect since the beginning of 2017. Contrary to the previous law, which required that only children under the age of one should use rear-facing child safety seat, now the law applies to children who are two years old or younger. However, the law exempts children who are 40 inches tall and those that weigh forty pounds because the safety seats cannot fit them.

Ignorant drivers often use their mobile phones while driving. Phones are the leading cause of distraction and can lead to car accidents when the driver fails to concentrate on the road. The law requires that wireless devices must be mounted on the car when the drivers need to use them to minimize accidents. They should not obstruct the drivers’ view. Before the new laws, in the case of a collision, the injured person was only supposed to inform the Department of Motor Vehicles if the cost of damage was at least $750. Currently, you can only notify the Department of Motor Vehicles if the collision leads to an injury and at least $1000.

Other laws that are currently under discussion are, Lane splitting. The California law allows that motorists can ride between the lanes even when the traffic is not moving. If the law is not changed, the motorists will continue to enjoy the benefits that come with it and if otherwise, then, they have to move with others. Ride-sharing service drivers like Uber and Lyft are not spared at all. As of the beginning of July 2018, they should not exceed the level of 0.004 of blood alcohol content. They have a year and some months to enjoy their freedom as the other drivers. At least they have the time to get used to that reality. Driving under the influence also will not be tolerated from the start of 2019. Both first-time and repeat DUI offenders who will cause crashes leading to injuries will be served with an ignition interlock device for six months to four years.

California to Generate Their Electricity

There is a study underway about generating electricity by the Energy Commission in California. The Commission plans to team up with either a university or business which will take care of field tests on the project. The study is meant to determine whether electricity can be obtained from the mechanical energy produced by moving vehicles on roads. The experiment involves small compressed crystals of piezoelectric installed under asphalt to create energy. Although similar projects in other countries have been terminated, the commission is determined to try and has set aside $2 million to invest in the same. The commission’s chief of energy research and development, Mike Gravely who believes in the project, hopes that California will meet its 2030 goal of producing 50% of the state’s electricity by using renewables and energy from the cars on roads. The question people should ask is whether this technology will justify investment opportunities as compared to other renewables. Even the project comes with risks, Mike Gravely believes in trying, and it doesn’t mean it will fail because others have failed.

Even if the scientists guarantee that the technology works, there are possible setbacks that cannot be ignored. An engineering lecturer at the University of Washington doubts the ability of the technology to withstand wear and tear of traffic. His argument is based on the need to resurface the highways after every ten to thirty years. Another setback is the fact that similar projects have been tried in other countries like Tokyo, Italy, and Israel and have failed or terminated before completion and led to their liquidation. To prevent making the same mistake in California, Mike Gatto, and California Assemblyman requested for some funds from the energy commission to finance pilot projects. He also believes that the failed projects were terminated for not investing enough funds in them. If the study goes through, it will not be a wonder to hear other cities with high traffic going for the project.