Every year, hundreds of people are killed in traffic accidents across the state of California. Sacramento consistently ranks in the top 10 for auto accident fatalities. In 2023, there were 57 fatal car accidents in the city of Sacramento, in which 62 people were killed.
Based on this data, there’s a fatal collision in Sacramento once every 6.4 days.
The sad truth is that most of Sacramento’s fatal wrecks can - and should - be avoided. It just takes one bad decision or act of aggression to cause an accident that turns a family’s world upside-down forever. If you’ve lost a close family member in a Sacramento fatal car accident, it’s important to know you have rights. You have the opportunity to take legal action, not only to demand compensation for the harm you’ve experienced but to hold the person (or party) responsible for your tragic loss fully accountable for the suffering they’ve caused.
You can focus on your grief and increase the odds of a successful result by hiring an experienced Sacramento car accident attorney to represent you. Singleton Schreiber is the top choice of grieving families in Sacramento because we genuinely care about the people we represent and consistently win top-tier case results. We’ve won more than $2.5 Billion for our clients by standing up to multinational corporations, government agencies, and negligent parties. Now, we’re here to fight for your family after a fatal crash in Sacramento, too.
Contact our Sacramento, California, law office to set a time for your free consultation now.
What Are the Leading Causes of Fatal Car Accidents in Sacramento?
State and local laws regulate traffic. These regulations are designed to encourage the safe movement of vehicles and people through busy corridors like Sacramento and, in turn, to reduce the rate at which traffic accidents occur. Unfortunately, most traffic accidents - including fatal crashes - happen when these important safety regulations are ignored or forgotten.
Some of the most commonly cited causes of fatal car accidents in Sacramento include:
Speeding
Statistically speaking, speeding is a factor in about 29 percent of all fatal car accidents across the United States. In 2023, speed caused at least 7 fatal Sacramento accidents, accounting for roughly 12.3 percent of the city’s deadly wrecks.
Improper Turns
In Sacramento, improper turns are a leading cause of traffic accidents, injuries, and deaths. Out of the city’s 57 fatal wrecks in 2023, improper turns were a factor in at least 12 of them.
Drunk Driving
Nearly one-third of all motor vehicle accident deaths in the United States can be linked to drunk driving. In Sacramento, roughly 21 percent of all fatal crashes involved a drunk driver in 2023.
Pedestrian Negligence
Pedestrians don’t just suffer the consequences of fatal car accidents in Sacramento, they often play a part in causing these wrecks, too. In fact, California crash records indicate that pedestrian violations contributed to nearly one out of four fatal collisions in Sacramento in 2023.
Distracted Driving
Texting and driving, talking on the phone while driving, eating, drinking, changing the radio station, and daydreaming are all distractions that can divert a driver’s attention from where it needs to be - on the road. Unfortunately, distractions are an increasingly prominent cause of fatal car accidents in busy cities like Sacramento. Nationwide, distracted driving causes about 8 percent of fatal collisions each year.
What Types of Sacramento Car Accidents Are the Deadliest?
While any type of car accident in Sacramento can potentially be deadly, certain types of crashes tend to be more catastrophic than others.
According to California crash data, broadside accidents are the deadliest car accident in the city of Sacramento. In 2023, 11 T-Bone accidents were fatal, which accounted for 19.3 percent of all fatal collisions in the city that year.
Other deadly car accidents in Sacramento include:
- Hitting a fixed object (15.8 percent of fatal crashes)
- Rear-end collisions (12.3 percent of fatal crashes)
- Head-on collisions (4 percent of fatal wrecks)
- Sideswipes (1 percent of fatal collisions)
Of course, car accidents don’t always just involve the driver and occupants of motor vehicles. Many of Sacramento’s car accidents involve pedestrians, too. Statistically speaking, car-and-pedestrian accidents are actually the deadliest. Crash data for 2023 reveals that 40 percent of the city’s fatal crashes involved pedestrians.
What Are My Rights If a Family Member is Killed in a Fatal Sacramento Car Accident?
You may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit if your family member’s fatal car accident was caused by:
- Another person’s negligence
- A defective vehicle or vehicle component
- Another person’s intentionally harmful and/or criminal actions
California’s wrongful death law gives certain surviving family members - including spouses, domestic partners, children, parents, and close relatives who were financially dependent on the victim - the right to bring a legal claim to recover monetary damages for:
- Funeral expenses
- Medical bills incurred before the victim’s death
- Lost financial support, including wages, benefits, and other earnings
- Lost household support and services
- Loss of gifts and benefits
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of the victim’s love, companionship, and comfort
Punitive damages can also be awarded if a Sacramento County jury decides that your loved one’s fatal crash happened because another person acted with malice or gross negligence.
Call Singleton Schreiber After a Fatal Car Accident in Sacramento, CA
Money won’t turn back time and stop your loved one from being in a fatal crash in Sacramento. However, it can make a world of difference as you figure out how to move forward and grieve your loss. It can also provide closure and a sense of justice. It might even protect others from suffering the same grief as you.
However, you’ll only have a short window of time to demand compensation. Most wrongful death claims are subject to a two-year statute of limitations. The filing period begins to run on the date of a person’s death, which might not be the same date as their fatal car accident in Sacramento.
Focus on your grief and don’t stress about how to fight for the justice your family deserves. Call Singleton Schreiber, and discover why we’re continually trusted by families in Sacramento and throughout the state of California after catastrophic wrecks.
We’ve helped clients win over $2.5 billion in damages. We can offer the award-winning local lawyers and national resources you’ll need to leverage the best possible case results. So, don’t hesitate to call our law office in Sacramento to discuss your loved one’s fatal car accident and your related legal rights today.
