California is a unique state dotted with old-growth forests, beaches, and deserts. Los Angeles is the largest city within this diverse state, with a population just shy of 4 million as of 2020 (U.S. Census Bureau). It should come as no surprise that gridlock is a common problem for Los Angeles registered drivers. It’s not just the amount of people, though. There are many reasons why you should know how to safely drive through L.A.
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Come for the scenery, leave for the nation’s worst traffic jams
If there was a picture next to “gridlock” in the dictionary, it would feature L.A.’s notorious bumper-to-bumper traffic. Location technology company, TomTom, discovered this city had the worst traffic in comparison to 80 other cities in the U.S. in 2020 (followed closely by New York City). Out of all the cities in the world, the City of Angels is the 37th best place to experience horrible traffic, according to INRIX (a travel pattern analytics company).
Los Angeles is the 37th most congested city in the world
Los Angeles driving tip: avoid driving when everyone else is
Fridays from 5 PM – 6 PM are historically the worst times to drive in California’s most populous city. But it looks like traffic conditions are less than favorable from 7 AM – 9 PM along with any time between 2 PM – 6 PM. Plan accordingly if you need to be somewhere at a certain time!
Choose to ride the city’s impressive public transportation if you need to travel during that time. It stretches across almost every area of L.A. and is relatively inexpensive. If you must get behind the wheel at peak traffic times, ride with another person. Angelenos can use the carpool lane if there are multiple people in a car, which could help make the commute a little shorter.
A quarter of Los Angeles’ roads are in poor condition
Local news source, the Orange County Register, writes that part of the issue why driving in Los Angeles is so dangerous is because of road conditions. This city is notorious for its bumpy roads along the highways. Despite spending $600,000 per mile in 2018 on California’s roads, the government still lags behind creating a safe highway system for L.A. drivers.
Fridays from 5 PM – 6 PM are historically the worst times to drive in Los Angeles
The more people drive on unsafe roads, the more the road becomes unsafe. Driving over streets that are in poor conditions not only makes the damage worse but also contributes to car damage. Driving over potholes can mess up a car’s alignment and pop tires, leading to an accident. A 2017 report from L.A.’s Bureau of Street Services found that about 25% of its streets were in poor condition.
L.A. driving do’s tip: report potholes and drive slowly
Constant traffic doesn’t help the condition of Los Angeles’ roads. What can help is reporting a pothole. The L.A. Bureau of Street Services asks people to report potholes on their website so they can locate and fix obstructions quickly.
As for driving safely, drive slowly over bumpy roads and potholes with extreme caution. For potholes, in particular, avoid driving over them if you can. If you can’t avoid them, drive slowly over them without pressing on the brakes.
Use the carpool lane if you have multiple people in your car to shave off traffic time
Watch out for people on motorcycles in Los Angeles
According to 2019 data from the NHTSA, California had the second-highest rate of fatal motorcycle accidents in the entire nation (451 deaths). Motorcyclists in Los Angeles can freely weave throughout traffic and drive in the carpool lane, much to the dismay of most 4-wheel drivers. Poor road conditions can make a motorcyclist weave randomly to avoid losing control. It’s important as a driver and as a motorcyclist to use extreme caution on L.A.’s highways to avoid unnecessary deaths.
Drive carefully around people riding a motorcycle
Staying alert while you drive is the number one way to keep everyone safe on the road. If you hear a motorcycle on the roads of Los Angeles, look to your rear and side mirrors. Also, two-wheel vehicles can be small and easily covered by a car’s blind spot. Check out your blind spot before you merge so as to not hit anyone riding a motorcycle.
Avoid these L.A. intersections if possible
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration writes, “one–quarter of traffic fatalities and about one–half of all traffic injuries in the United States are attributed to intersections.” Los Angeles has some of the most dangerous intersections in the U.S.
The Orange County Register writes that you should avoid these intersections if possible:
- I-10 between Santa Monica and downtown Los Angeles
- SR 91 between Orange and Riverside counties
- I-405 between I-10 and US 101
L.A. is the most congested city in the U.S., according to TomTom
How to drive safely through intersections
Close to half of intersection crashes happen because drivers aren’t paying attention. Don’t be one of those drivers. Look both ways before you enter an intersection and make sure to use your turning signals when you need to. Drivers on intersections often drive the wrong way, so pay extra close attention to which way is the right way to drive.
Stay safe on the road!