More than 100,000 people live in Vista, California, and thousands more travel through the city every day. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, over 1,000,000 miles are driven through Vista, CA daily.
That’s a lot of traffic running through Vista, which takes up 19 square miles in North County San Diego. So, it’s not surprising that traffic accidents are fairly common here.
Vista Car Accident Statistics – 2021 Update
According to UC Berkeley’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS), in 2021, there were 300 reported car accidents in Vista, California.
Here’s a breakdown of how serious those accidents were:
- 171 crashes left victims with some complaint of pain (57 percent)
- 91 collisions caused visible injuries (30 percent)
- 28 accidents caused severe injuries (9 percent)
Ten car accidents were fatal in Vista that year, accounting for 3 percent of the city’s total collisions.
What Types of Car Accidents Happen in Vista, CA?
Crash data reveals that broadside car accidents happen most often in Vista. In 2021, roughly one out of every three collisions – or 34.3 percent – were broadside accidents.
Other common accidents include:
- Rear end collisions (25 percent)
- Hitting a fixed object (14 percent)
- Head-on collisions (7 percent)
- Sideswipe accidents (7 percent)
- Rollovers (2 percent)
That year, about 8 percent of the city’s total collisions involved vehicles striking pedestrians.
How Often Do Car Accidents Happen in Vista, CA?
Between 2017 and 2019, there were over 800 reported traffic accidents resulting in injury or death in the city of Vista, as detailed below:
- 2017: 309
- 2018: 233
- 2019: 291
In an average year, that’s 277 car accidents, or roughly one crash every 1.3 days.
In 2019, Vista ranked 54th out of 59 similarly sized cities in California – making it statistically safer than many other medium-sized cities in California.
How Often is Speed a Factor in Vista Car Accidents?
2019 car accident statistics reveal that out of Vista’s 291 crashes, 43 involved speeding drivers. So, speed is a factor in about 14 percent of all collisions – or one out of every seven accidents.
Do Drunk Driving Accidents Happen Often in Vista, CA?
In 2019, 73 of the city’s car accidents involved alcohol. Roughly 25 percent of Vista’s car accidents are drunk driving crashes. That year, Vista ranked 11th out of 59 similarly sized cities for drunk driving accidents. 434 DUI arrests were made in 2019.
Are Hit and Run Car Accidents Common in Vista?
Statistics for 2019 reveal that there were 29 hit-and-run crashes in Vista, CA. About one out of every ten wrecks in Vista that year involved a hit-and-run driver.
When Do Car Accidents in Vista Happen?
Do more accidents happen during the day or at night? Data from the Office of Traffic Safety indicates that the majority of Vista’s traffic accidents unfold during the day. In 2019, 31 car accidents occurred after 9:00 PM and before 3 AM – accounting for about 10 percent of the city’s collisions.
Who Is Involved in Vista Car Accidents?
Occupants of passenger vehicles aren’t the only ones who can get hurt in auto accidents in Vista. Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists are frequently involved in these collisions, too.
Motorcyclists
Vista is a particularly dangerous city for motorcyclists. In 2019, it ranked as the 6th most dangerous among cities with similar populations. That year, there were 24 motorcycle accidents resulting in an injury or death. That accounts for roughly 8 percent of the city’s total collisions.
Pedestrians
Vista has been classified as a “somewhat walkable” city. According to one study, it’s relatively safer for pedestrians than many other parts of San Diego. However, there’s still a very real threat to pedestrians. In 2019, there were 37 pedestrian accidents reported in Vista – 12 percent of the city’s total wrecks.
Bicyclists
In 2019, there were just seven bicycle accidents reported in Vista, California. One of those bicyclists was under the age of 15 – putting Vista on the map as a relatively dangerous place for kids to ride bikes.
Where Do Most Car Accidents in Vista Happen?
Not surprisingly, many of Vista’s car accidents happen along its most heavily-traveled roads.
These include:
- SR-78
- East Vista Way
- S Santa Fe Ave
- Vista Village Drive
- Sycamore Ave
Particularly dangerous intersections in Vista include:
- SR-78 and Vista Village Drive
- Date Street and Grapevine Road
- North Melrose Drive and Olive Avenue
On and off-ramps for SR-78 are also home to many collisions in Vista, CA.
What Should I Do After Being Involved in a Car Crash in Vista, California?
With traffic accidents happening so frequently in Vista, it’s important to know what steps to take if you are involved in a crash.
Our Vista car accident lawyers have broken down the steps you should (and shouldn’t) take after you’re in a wreck.
Stay at (or near) the scene.
Under California state law, you’re legally required to stop and remain on the scene if an accident causes property damage, injury, or death. Leaving can be considered a hit and run – which is a crime and conduct that can hurt your chances of getting compensation.
It’s okay to relocate to a safe but nearby location while you wait for the police to arrive.
While you’re there, exchange information (e.g., insurance information) with other parties who were also in the wreck.
Report the accident.
Call 911 if it’s an emergency or notify the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. The dispatcher will send a police officer and emergency medical technicians if necessary. When the police arrive, they’ll do a preliminary investigation and document the crash in an accident report. The details in this report can be incredibly helpful if you decide to file an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Get medical treatment.
There’s one notable exception to the requirement to remain at the scene of the accident. You can leave if you require emergency medical treatment or need to help someone else get medical care. If you are not transported to the hospital, make sure you get there on your own as soon as you can after the police wrap up their preliminary investigation.
Don’t admit fault or offer an apology.
You don’t want a simple act of kindness – apologizing for an accident – to derail your ability to recover compensation. And that’s exactly what could happen since California takes shared fault into consideration in personal injury cases. If you’re assigned blame, your right to recover damages is limited.
Other parties may use your admission of fault or apology as proof that you’re responsible. In truth, you can’t know why an accident happened – and everything that caused it – until it’s thoroughly investigated. So, while it’s okay to check to see if others are okay, do your best to say as little as possible.
Hire an experienced Vista car accident lawyer.
While you can deal with an insurance company on your own, it’s in your best interest to hire an experienced Vista car accident attorney to represent you. Insurance companies handle thousands of claims a day. They’ve got teams of adjusters and defense attorneys waiting to find a way to deny your claim or limit your payout. You can level the playing field by enlisting an advocate of your own.
Call Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers For a Free Consultation With a Vista Auto Accident Lawyer
Vista car accident statistics show that there’s a crash roughly every 1.3 days. If you travel on any of the city’s main roads or highways, the risk of an accident is greater.
While you may exercise reasonable care behind the wheel, not everyone else will. Drivers regularly speed, drive while distracted, get behind the wheel after having a few drinks, and engage in other unsafe behaviors, even if you’re paying attention on the road or waiting at a red light. If you’re in an accident, Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers will be there to help you pick up the pieces and move forward.
Our award-winning Vista car accident attorneys have over 20 years of experience and have been advocating for crash victims in Southern California since 2012. In that time, we’ve won over $40 million in settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients just like you.
We’re a small law firm with the resources to match your most powerful adversaries. We’re well-known trial attorneys with a demonstrated ability to win tough car accident lawsuits like yours. Give our law office in Vista, California a call to discover why we’re the team you’ll want in your corner for your fight for compensation.
We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Contact us to schedule yours today or give us a call at (619) 344-0360.
