Many freeways and boulevards in California are considered dangerous. Some are even famous for the risks local motorists must face.  And these routes aren’t all in the Los Angeles area. Elevated traffic hazards can be found on roads through many cities and counties up the coast, across the Central Valley, and in the Mountains.

The reason is simple. There are careless and reckless drivers, no matter where you go. Motorists on any street can make mistakes and put other motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists at deadly risk.

Maison Law wanted to turn a spotlight on the deadliest counties when it comes to traffic collisions. Residents in some parts of the state may know about the peril of traveling on certain roads, but others may be unaware that they live and drive in such a dangerous place. We hope it’s a wake-up call to all California drivers to slow down, no matter where they travel.

The Most Dangerous Counties for Deadly Car Accidents in California

Overall, California recorded 3,786 traffic fatalities in 2024. That’s according to California’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS).

It’s no surprise that Los Angeles County contributed the most to that heartbreaking statistic. The county leads all other California counties in roadway deaths for the year. (the most recent year that data was available).

As if Los Angeles weren’t enough of a contributor to dangerous crashes, the county also includes cities like Glendale, Long Beach, and Santa Clarita, all with their own drivers all adding to the traffic mayhem. The county also has some of the most notorious routes for reckless motorists and devastating accidents.

Los Angeles County was the scene of 39,125 accidents involving injury and  744 traffic deaths in 2024.

San Bernardino County places second on the list with 345 tragic deaths on streets and highways. Those figures include fatal accidents along I-40. And San Diego County’s 298 lost lives placed third on the list.

Here’s a look at the top ten list of California Counties with the most highway fatalities:

For California drivers, it’s important to remember that these numbers represent real people and the heartbreaking loss of precious lives. For some family members, these accidents meant that they would never again be able to hug a parent again. For others, it was a child, a brother, a sister, or a grandparent who was taken. There are plenty of people who lost their best friends in freeway pile-ups.

Hopefully, it’s a sobering visual representation that can prompt motorists to take more care with each freeway trip, with each intersection stop, and with each commute. One deadly accident prevented means that many family members and friends don’t have to mourn a loss that they won’t truly ever get over.

Recent Accident Numbers for California Highways, Freeways, and Interstates

Some of the most heavily traveled roads in the state played the biggest factors in the deadly accident numbers statewide.

These are a few of the Freeways and Highways that saw elevated fatality numbers:

• I-5 through Los Angeles County saw 1,544 serious accidents and 29 fatalities in 2024
• I-5 through San Diego County recorded 1,023 accidents involving injury and 38 fatalities in 2024
• Hwy 99 through San Joaquin County recorded 350 accidents involving injury and 15 deaths in 2024
• Hwy 99 through Fresno County was the scene of 270 serious accidents and 4 deaths in 2024
• I-80 through San Francisco County saw 234 accidents involving injury and 6 fatalities in 2024
• I-280 through Santa Clara County recorded 320 serious accidents and 3 fatalities in 2024
• I-40 through San Bernardino County saw 99 serious accidents and 15 fatalities in 2024

Hope for a Better 2026 and Beyond on California Highways

As 2025 figures are tabulated, it remains to be seen if fatality rates on California roads have fallen or are still on the rise. But 2026 offers another chance to make changes in our driving habits that allow more motorists to return home safely each night.

If your loved one is taken in a tragic California car accident, it’s important that your family gets help with their funeral costs and in replacing the income the loved one may have supported the family with.

If another driver were to blame for the tragedy, their insurers are liable for providing wrongful death benefits. Unfortunately, insurance adjusters can also make it difficult for those left behind to get the help they require to rebuild their lives. Having a skilled lawyer guide your family through the complex wrongful death claim process can help make sure you’re left with more.

Contact a California Car Accident Lawyer with Maison Law. We offer a free and confidential case consultation to all family members. There’s no obligation, but if you need our help to earn justice, you don’t have to have any money to hire a lawyer. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the wrongful death settlement your family receives.