Santa Barbara Personal Injury Attorney - Car Accident Lawyer

Free Consultations - Call Michael Rehm at (800) 978-0754

Santa Barbara's temperate climate, pristine beaches, and Spanish architecture make it one of the most pleasant places to live in California. One of the few downsides to Santa Barbara living is the city's high rate of traffic accidents.

California’s Office of Traffic Safety has compared Santa Barbara to 106 California cities of comparable size. After adjusting for population and miles driven, OTS ranked Santa Barbara as having the 19th worst record for traffic accident injuries or fatalities.

In the most recent year that OTS analyzed, Santa Barbara had 544 traffic accidents that caused an injury or death. The major highways that run through the heart of the city create a danger when distracted drivers fail to stop or yield.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara's overall accident rate is bad enough, but a close examination of OTS data is even more worrisome. Bicycle riders and pedestrians face an elevated risk.

Santa Barbara crashes involving cars and bicycles injured or killed 86 victims in the most recent year that OTS examined. That statistic gave Santa Barbara the third worst ranking among 106 comparable cities.

Santa Barbara is almost as unsafe for pedestrians as it is for bicycle riders. Its 57 pedestrian injuries or deaths caused OTS to rank Santa Barbara as the 13th worst of 106 comparable cities.

The city ranks 10th of 106 for pedestrian accidents involving kids under the age of 15. It ranks 12th for pedestrian victims who are 65 or older. Seniors and children are both at risk when they go walking in Santa Barbara.

Traffic Accident Causes in Santa Barbara

The OTS ranked Santa Barbara 10th of 106 comparable cities in the category of alcohol-involved crashes. Drunk driving correlates with nighttime accidents, where Santa Barbara has the 12th worst ranking.

Any act of negligence, including drunk driving, distracted driving, speeding, and running red lights can have a tragic result. Santa Barbara Personal Injury Lawyer Michael Rehm helps hold the negligent parties accountable and protects your rights.

Auto Accident Lawsuits in Santa Barbara

Most accident claims settle before a lawsuit is filed. When it becomes necessary to file a lawsuit after a traffic accident in Santa Barbara, the suit will be filed in the Superior Court for Santa Barbara County.

Cases are heard in the historic Santa Barbara County Courthouse at 1100 Anacapa Street in Santa Barbara. The courthouse is one of the most beautiful structures in Santa Barbara.

Six judges hear civil cases in the courthouse. In the most recent year for which statistics are available, 267 lawsuits were filed that relate to motor vehicle accidents in Santa Barbara County. In that same year, 244 motor vehicle accident lawsuits (most of which were filed in an earlier year) were resolved.

Most of the 244 cases that resolved were settled. Only one jury trial that year involved a motor vehicle accident.

Almost three-fourths of Santa Barbara motor vehicle accident lawsuits are settled within a year after filing. Within two years, 92% have been resolved. That statistic represents a significantly faster resolution of cases than the statewide average.

Summary:

Santa Barbara Personal Injury Lawyer Michael Rehm represents victims of:

--Car Accidents;

--Motorcycle Accidents;

--Bicycle Accidents;

--Pedestrian Accidents;

--Wrongful Death Accidents;

--Dog Bites;

--Slip and Fall;

--Sexual Molestation/Clergy Abuse/Boy Scout Child Abuse Cases;