From my home in Newport Beach I sometimes hear the unmistakable sounds of screeching tires and cars crashing. It’s a bone-chilling few seconds during which I hope the accident isn’t too bad, though on occasion it certainly has been.
I’ll never forget the day, several years ago, when I heard that terrible yet familiar noise and knew instantly that this was a bad one. The worst, it turned out. A carful of teens crashed into a tree while traveling south on Jamboree Road, and all were killed. We call these incidents traffic accidents, but no words exist that can adequately capture the awfulness of such an outcome, made that much more tragic because it was completely preventable.
Last month, another accident near the same spot on Jamboree — a thoroughfare, like many in coastal Orange County, that is prone to speeding — could also have been deadly. I didn’t hear the crash this time, but I imagine others did.
More of the debris from a crash on Jamboree Road survived by the passengers involved, as encountered afterward by Daily Pilot columnist Patrice Apodaca.
(Patrice Apodaca)
Described by authorities as miraculous for the absence of serious injuries, the accident occurred in the wee morning hours when a Range Rover struck and severely damaged two light poles and then slammed into a tree near the Palisades Tennis Club. The car burst apart as the engine compartment caught fire and the main body came to rest about 20 feet away; other parts flew in various directions. One of the tires was reportedly found on the tennis club grounds.
I don’t know how, and maybe no one can fully explain, how the driver and one passenger escaped with only minor injuries. A couple of days later, while walking my dog, I passed by the area where the crash had occurred and saw that debris from the wreckage remained scattered about. A Range Rover nameplate lay beside the sidewalk, next to shrubbery and other automotive detritus. It was an eerie sight, yet also weirdly banal because we’ve become so accustomed to the prevalence of motor vehicle accidents.
Now Christmas and New Year’s are upon us. I deeply love this time of year, but that affection is accompanied by the usual worries that all the merriment could lead some of us to abandon common sense and caution during one of the busiest travel times of the year.
My worry is not unfounded. Sadly, but not surprisingly, holidays are typically associated with an uptick in motor vehicle collisions that result in serious injury and death, as long drives to see friends and relatives, driver fatigue and alcohol-fueled celebrations create added risk. I’ve witnessed several perilously close calls in recent days, a common occurrence this time of the year.
It’s not as if we we’re powerless do anything about this situation. Indeed, when it comes to motor vehicle safety generally, it has been clearly demonstrated that public safety measures can have a positive impact. Over about a 30-year span, the rate of roadway fatalities continuously declined because of successful interventions such as seat belts, air bags, stricter laws on impaired driving, and improvements in road design and traffic control.
That progress stalled about a decade ago and even backtracked in 2020 and 2021 when traffic-related deaths increased again. Then, beginning in 2022 and continuing into this year, the decline in traffic fatalities resumed. During the first half of 2024 — the latest period for which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released data — deaths from motor vehicle crashes declined by about 3.2% from a year earlier.
But that small decrease is no doubt cold comfort to the families of the 18,720 people that died during that six-month period or to those whose loved ones’ deaths have yet to appear in official government counts.
The fact is, public safety measures can only do so much. When it comes to roadway safety, all of us can, and must, do our part. It should not require such reminders, but using good sense while driving — and before even getting behind the wheel — should be second nature.
That means driving only when rested and alert, minimizing distractions, moving at a reasonable speed, keeping a healthy distance from the car in front, staying aware of other drivers and pedestrians, and just generally using caution at all times. Eyes on the road, focus on driving, not the million things you have to do. No texting. And no drinking and driving, period.
In 2023, Orange County had 12,518 car accidents that resulted in a serious injury or a fatality. We don’t yet know what this year’s total will be — hopefully lower, but any number is too many and we should never accept that such casualties are an inevitable consequence of modern living. It’s worth repeating: Traffic accidents are preventable.
The winter holidays are meant to be a joyous time, and naturally we want to share that joy with those we love. So by all means, let the celebrations continue. But please remember that not every present can be found under a tree. This Christmas, give yourself and everyone you care about the gift of being a responsible driver.