People who travel San Luis Obispo roads to head to work or school already know how crowded local streets are. They’ve also seen plenty of drivers not watching the lanes ahead or going way too fast for the conditions. These and other mistakes have led to too many tragic accidents lately.
Maison Law of San Luis Obispo wanted to grab the attention of local motorists and hopefully wake them up to the dangers they can cause. We want to make them aware of the toll their recklessness takes each year. We examined the city’s annual traffic accident statistics and provided some visual reminders of why a renewed dedication to highway safety is needed.
How Many Car Accidents Happen in San Luis Obispo Each Year?
San Luis Obispo has averaged around 161 accidents involving injuries a year over the past five years (2019-2023). That’s according to California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS).
Busy stretches like Madonna Road or Broad Street are the scenes of a lot of fender benders and some major pile-ups throughout the year. San Luis Obispo saw 135 serious accidents in 2023. That’s down a bit from 2022’s 178 serious collisions.
It’s a shocking fact that the most deaths recorded over the past five years were the 5 car crash fatalities reported in 2020. It was the pandemic year when fewer vehicles were on local roads and there were fewer accidents overall. Unfortunately, the reduced traffic didn’t keep people safer.
The combined urban areas of Atascadero-Paso Robles saw the most accidents of any city in San Luis Obispo County. TIMS documents that together the cities were the scene of 167 accidents involving injury in 2023 along with at least 4 tragic deaths.
Those cities along with places like Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach contribute hundreds of accidents each year. That’s along major routes like Highway 1 and Highway 101, as well as Highway 227.
Overall, San Louis Obispo County was the scene for 931 serious accidents in 2020 with a heartbreaking 19 fatalities to report. That was down from 2022’s more deadly year. That year there were 958 accidents recorded along with an unbelievable 35 traffic deaths.
San Luis Obispo Compared to the Rest of California in Car Accident Rates
San Luis Obispo County roads see their share of rush hours and busy days. That’s especially true along Highway 1 and 101 where traffic from any part of California could be passing through.
But when comparing the traffic rates in all 58 counties in California, there’s no place more dangerous than Los Angeles County. On a list of the California counties reporting the most injuries and fatalities in car accidents in 2023, Los Angeles County ranked 1st with 58,524 cases. San Diego County ranked second with 18,763. That’s according to the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS).
San Luis Obispo County compares favorably with many of its central coast neighbors. A look at four counties in the region shows that San Luis Obispo had the fewest injury-involved and deadly accidents, while Santa Barbara County recorded the most. Overall Santa Barbara County ranked 19th out of all California counties for serious accidents. Monterey County ranked 22nd. Santa Cruz County Ranked 25th. San Luis Obispo ranked 27th.
Drunk Driving Accidents in San Luis Obispo
Motorists choosing to drive while impaired continue to cause major injuries and tragic deaths on San Luis Obispo streets.
Accidents caused by DUI drivers involving injury reached 16 cases in the city in 2023. Fortunately, from TIMS records, no one lost their life in a SLO DUI accident during the year. Motorists weren’t so lucky in recent years. According to TIMS, one person was killed in a San Luis Obispo alcohol-involved accident in 2022. At least two victims lost their lives in DUI accidents in 2021.
- In 2023, California recorded 27,367 alcohol-related accidents involving injuries or fatalities.
- Los Angeles County alone had 5,880 alcohol-related accidents that resulted in injury or death.
Hope for a Safer Future on San Luis Obispo Roads
It’s hard to predict if some recent improvements in traffic accident statistics will continue for San Luis Obispo motorists as 2024 statistics are tabulated and in 2025 and beyond. Taking notice of the dangers involved with driving in California, and paying more attention when behind the wheel will be some of the only changes that will make a real difference in the tragic accident numbers tallied across our region each year.
If you or a loved one become the victim of a driver’s carelessness, don’t wait to seek legal help. Take advantage of a free consultation with a San Luis Obispo Car Accident Lawyer to find out what you should be demanding in recovery support. Maison Law works with accident victims and their families to make sure insurance companies provide them with everything they need to rebuild their health and their lives.
