Negligent motorists can cause accidents that result in injury or death in various ways. Often, careless drivers cause accidents when they are speeding.
This is a particularly significant problem in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles. In a recent Los Angeles Times column, statements from concerned citizens and other such parties indicate that LA residents are no longer willing to tolerate traffic accidents resulting from speeding.
They want greater enforcement of speed limits. They also want those caught speeding to face harsher penalties.
Such measures could potentially help. However, many have pointed out that one of the most effective ways to guard against speeding accidents is to make changes to road designs. Various modifications have been shown to prevent drivers from exceeding the speed limit as often as they currently might.
Examples of modifications that could theoretically address Los Angeles’s speeding collision problem include (but are not necessarily limited to) the following:
Narrower Streets
It has been shown that narrowing streets often results in lower rates of speeding accidents. Quite simply, when a negligent driver is on a wide street, they may feel more comfortable speeding. When a street is narrow, they might have to slow down to comfortably navigate the road.
There are also ways to narrow existing streets without necessarily making them smaller. For instance, adding more bike lanes to streets can narrow the space available for cars. Along with stopping drivers from speeding on these roads, the addition of bike lanes can naturally improve bicyclist safety.
Miniature Roundabouts
Roundabouts are often installed to prevent speeding accidents. When a driver enters a roundabout, they are forced to reduce their speed. This keeps all motorists and pedestrians safer.
Despite this, because installing new roundabouts can sometimes require major construction, government agencies are not always quick to take this measure.
Those who make urban planning decisions should consider that installing full roundabouts is not the only option. For example, mini-roundabouts consist of relatively small, round “islands” in the center of four-way intersections. These islands essentially turn existing intersections into pseudo-roundabouts. In some other cities throughout the country, city planners have also discovered that makeshift roundabouts can be installed using nothing more than traffic cones. These roundabouts have reduced speeding in some intersections by as much as 65%.
Shared Streets
Although this is not a practical measure to take in all parts of a large city like Los Angeles, in areas where pedestrian traffic is relatively heavy, parts of the street can be designated as shared street spaces. In these areas, there are no physical distinctions between parts of the street reserved for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. Everyone shares the entire street, forcing drivers to slow down and pay attention to their surroundings.
These are just a few examples of ways new road designs in Los Angeles can prevent speeding accidents. In the meantime, if you or a loved one has already been harmed in an accident that occurred because a negligent driver was speeding, you may be able to recover financial compensation for your medical bills and other such losses.
Learn more about your options by getting in touch with a Los Angeles car accident attorney at the Law Offices of Howard Kornberg. We are prepared to help you fight for what you deserve. Get started by contacting us online or calling us at 310-997-0904 today.
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