A brief look at distracted driving data and dangerous intersections of Phoenix
Sponsored Content | Digital Free
As the summer months arrive, motorists across the county are on the roads and new drivers emerge on the local thoroughfares of the Valley of the Sun.
It’s during these summer months that many accidents — in particular the Fourth of July holiday — where American car accident rates see a sizable uptick in major metropolitan areas with the Phoenix area being no exception.
“The most common car accident type is going to be the rear-end collision,” Scottsdale resident Jose Leon, principal and owner of Phoenix-based Leon Law, told the Digital Free Press.
For more than a decade, Leon Law and its dedicated staff have taken on the mantra of education first — no matter the case, client or circumstance.
Mr. Leon has called the Phoenix metropolitan area home since 1998, after growing up in Nogales, Ariz. He was born in Sinaloa, Mexico, and came to the United States when he was 6 years old.
According to the National Safety Council, over the last several years, January and February generally experienced the fewest motor-vehicle fatalities, while July, August, or October experienced the most.
The National Safety Council — which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that is chartered by the United States Congress — boasts 50,000 members with local chapters focused on eliminating the leading causes of preventable death and injury. A critical element of determining the danger of driving day-to-day, NSC officials report, is the amount of miles traveled on average by motorists based on the time of the year.
In 2023, for example, miles traveled were lowest in January and February and peaked in August. Similarly, traffic deaths were lowest from January through April and remained elevated from May through October, NSC data shows.
The key determinant? The death rate per 100 million vehicle miles.
Mr. Leon points out that not only does the amount of miles traveled play a key role, but so does the actual the heat of the season.
“Extreme heat is interesting because you wouldn’t think it has a direct effect on driving conditions,” he said of local motorists dealing with the scorching temperatures of the Phoenix metropolitan area. “But, what it can do is create hotter tire temperatures that can increase the risk of a blowout. Other somewhat related effects can be engine overheating and driver fatigue. These are secondary but if there is a problem with your vehicle and it isn’t anticipated it can increase the risk of a car accident.”
The Digital Free Press asked Mr. Leon where he thought, from his expertise as a personal injury attorney, some of the most dangerous intersections of Phoenix exist. These are intersections Mr. Leon contends Phoenix motorists should exercise extreme caution:
- 99th Avenue & Lower Buckeye Road.
- 67th Avenue & McDowell Road.
- 75th Avenue & Indian School Road.
- 67th Avenue & Indian School Road.
The Maricopa Association of Governments recently published a report of the Top 100 intersections by crash risk that shows where the most accidents occur at intersections throughout Maricopa County. You can access that report HERE.
Mr. Leon explains coupled with traditional accident risk, a growing trend of distracted driving has played a significant role in accident rates in the Phoenix metropolitan area.
“Distracted drivers are more common now than ever. I believe that having smart phones creates a huge distraction to drivers. Pair distractions with the high speeds on the road and it is a recipe for increased collisions,” Mr. Leon pointed out.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving in the United States is to blame for the death of 3,275 people in 2023.
“Be mindful of your phone use when on the roads. A distraction with your smart phone or something else while you drive will create opportunities for something to go wrong. One of the most important is awareness of other vehicles and the vehicle speeds as you approach intersections.”
You can learn more about Leon Law HERE. Today, the local law firm has three locations in Arizona:
- Phoenix: 20 E. Thomas Rd, Suite 2200, Phoenix AZ 85012
- Peoria: 16165 N. 83rd Ave, Suite 200, Peoria, AZ 85382
- Tucson: 1 South Church Ave Suite 1200 Tucson AZ 85701
