Introducing: the Streetsblog California Index*

Note: GJEL Accident Attorneys regularly sponsors coverage on Streetsblog San Francisco and Streetsblog California. Unless noted in the story, GJEL Accident Attorneys is not consulted for the content or editorial direction of the sponsored content.

A few seemingly random numbers on traffic safety.

Number of people who die in crashes on U.S. roads every day: 100

Estimated number of people who have died in U.S. crashes caused by speeding since 2016: 10,000

Portion of U.S. traffic fatalities in 2008 that were “non-occupant fatalities”–pedestrians, bicyclists, and others not in the vehicles that crashed: 14%

In 2017: 19%

Portion of surveyed consumers who say that distracted driving is a problem: 85%

Who say they are a “safe driver”: 90%

Who admit they use electronic devices while driving often enough to be categorized as “addicted”: 47%

Average amount of time more than the average U.S. driver that those people “addicted” to their electronic devices spend driving: 150%

Average number of miles more than the average driver that they drive: 760%

Actual portion of drivers who use their phones while driving at least once per day: 60%

Average number of minutes per hour distracted drivers spend on their phone: 3.5 minutes

How far a car going 55 mph travels in 3.5 minutes: 2.3 miles

California’s state rank on list of most distracted driving: 36

Portion of luxury car drivers who cut off pedestrians walking in a crosswalk: 30%

Of drivers of less fancy cars that do: 7%

*with apologies to, and affection for, both Harper’s Index and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s Tube Times, from whom we totally ripped off this idea