Traffic collisions can be a frustrating part of daily life for motorists in the Visalia area. The consequences of some crashes are erased with a trip to the body shop or a single visit to the emergency room. However, some collisions carry more force and may end in tragedy.
In an instant, families can lose someone they counted on for emotional and financial support. At Maison Law of Visalia, we felt that one way to reduce the number of deadly accidents was to inform drivers of the toll collisions take each year. We examined the numbers behind fatal car accidents in Visalia. It’s an attempt to remind motorists of the deadly consequences that can follow careless and reckless driving.
How Many Fatal Car Accidents Occur in Visalia Each Year?
Over the past five years (2019-2023) Visalia has averaged around 11 traffic deaths annually. In 2023, the latest figures available, our city saw a spike in deadly crashes with 15 tragic cases reported. That’s according to California’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS).
The figure was the highest in a decade for Visalia. It was extremely high when compared to the two years before the pandemic year of 2020. In 2019 there were 9 deaths reported. 2018 saw just 6 deaths on Visalia roads.
Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and about twice the size of the next most populous cities locally. In total, Visalia documented almost 400 accidents involving injuries in 2023.
- The City of Tulare saw 86 accidents involving injury and 11 traffic fatalities in 2023
- Porterville recorded 272 fatal accidents but, according to TIMS, saw no fatal accidents in 2023
How Many People Die in Accidents in Tulare County Each Year?
Tulare County has averaged around 83 deaths annually over the past five years (2019-2023). That’s according to TIMS data.
The County also saw a jump in fatalities when compared to pre-pandemic (2020) numbers.
- Tulare County was the scene of 2,029 accidents involving injury for the year. That was up from 1,948 serious accidents in 2022.
- California recorded 3,564 lives lost to traffic accidents in 2023. According to TIMS that was a reduction in deaths when compared to 2022’s shocking 4,214 fatalities.
What Leads to Fatal Accidents in Visalia?
Busy roads and narrow lanes make driving in Visalia a risk at times. Much of the danger could be avoided if drivers avoided careless and reckless behavior. They need to put down their phones and pay attention to the vehicles around them. They also need to avoid dangerous behavior like speeding and aggressive driving.
These decisions lead to accidents that claim lives every month in Tulare County. One of the most dangerous moves can be veering into oncoming traffic or proceeding down a one-way lane in the wrong direction. This mistake can lead to head-on collisions that, by percentage, create the highest risk of death. The speeds of both cars factor into the collision to often cause deadly force.
- In 2023, there were around 35 head-on collisions in Visalia involving injury. Two people lost their lives in those collisions. Tulare County registered 145 serious head-on collisions for the year, leading to 13 fatalities.
- There were 64 serious accidents caused by drivers’ unsafe speeds. That total made up around 16% of all serious accidents in Visalia. Those accidents led to at least four deaths.
- Ignoring traffic lights and stop signs led to 8 deaths in Visalia in 2023, according to TIMS records.
Impaired drivers are another major threat to the lives of Visalia motorists. Their judgment can be affected by alcohol or drugs when they take the wheel, leading to devastating crashes.
California’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) documented at least 22 deaths involving alcohol over the past five years (2019-2023) in Visalia. In 2023 alone, Visalia recorded at least 52 accidents involving injury where a drunk driver was to blame. Those accidents led to at least 6 deaths. That was the highest number recorded since before the pandemic year of 2020.
Hope for a Safer 2025 and Beyond on Visalia Roads
After a brief look at the toll fatal accidents take on the Visalia community, we hope every driver will recommit to driving safely and showing caution to others who use the roads. This is one of the few changes that will bring a real change in how many lives are claimed along our streets and highways.
If your loved one becomes the victim of a driver’s carelessness, don’t wait to seek legal help. Take advantage of a free consultation with a Visalia Fatal Car Accident Lawyer to find out what you should demand in support for your family.
Maison Law works closely with families to make sure insurance companies provide them with everything they need to pay for funeral costs and remaining medical bills. Families should also expect help in the future when the income the victim may have provided will no longer be available.
