Dangerous Roads to Avoid in Sacramento
The newest accident statistics for Sacramento are out and the news isn’t good. While the number of accidents was down in 2020, probably due to the pandemic, in 2021, it increased to its highest point in five years. Fatalities are also up from 2020, although not as high as they were in 2017, but the fact is that some roads in Sacramento are just not safe. So where are accidents occurring in Sacramento? Here are the details.
Table of Contents
List of the Most Dangerous Roads
Marysville Boulevard
The one-mile stretch of road on Marysville Boulevard between North Avenue and Arcade Boulevard is one of the most dangerous areas in Sacramento. Between 2009 and 2017, there were 148 injury car crashes along this route. Five of these accidents were classified as fatal or severe.
The news is even worse for pedestrians and bicyclists, as there were 25 auto-pedestrian and 15 auto-bicycle crashes along Marysville Boulevard, resulting in 15 deaths. The speed limit is just 35 miles per hour along this stretch of road, but speed was a factor in 20% of all accidents. As such, one proposal to make this road less dangerous is to force vehicles to slow down as they drive through the area.
Florin Road
Florin Road between 24th Street and Munson Way saw 192 automobile crashes between 2009 and 2017, making it a highly dangerous road. Eight of these crashes were fatal or severe, and there were 28 auto-pedestrian and 29 auto-bicycle collisions during this same period, which resulted in another eight deaths.
Almost half of the automobile accidents were the result of speeding vehicles, even though the speed limit along the road is 40 miles per hour, higher than in many other areas. But, it’s important to note that 40% of pedestrian accidents were weather related and 40% of the bicycle accidents were attributed to the cyclist riding on the wrong side of the road, so many of these crashes were not the fault of drivers, factors that must be taken into consideration for improving this road’s safety.
El Camino Avenue
Between 2009 and 2017, there were 117 automobile accidents along the one-mile stretch of El Camino Avenue between Ueda Parkway and Del Paso Boulevard. Eight of these accidents were classified as fatal or severe. This road is safer than others for cyclists and pedestrians, with 11 auto-bicycle crashes and 16 auto-pedestrian crashes during that nine-year period. Three of these accidents resulted in death.
Once again, speed in this 30-mile-per-hour zone was a factor in 40% of the automobile crashes. Drivers must slow down in this area to make the route safer for everyone.
Stockton Boulevard
Stockton Boulevard between McMahon Drive and Patterson Way is considered a dangerous route in Sacramento for its 140 automobile accidents between 2009 and 2017. Of these accidents, seven were severe or fatal. Pedestrians suffered 16 crashes and cyclists were involved in 20. Together, there were nine pedestrian and cyclist deaths.
While speed was once again a factor in these automobile crashes, there were also many drivers who were under the influence of alcohol and drugs as well. Lowering the speed limit from 40 miles per hour to a safer speed and setting up alcohol checkpoints may make this corridor safer.
Any road can be unsafe if someone isn’t obeying the traffic laws, but these four routes in Sacramento should be avoided until improvements can make them safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
