California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
According to the Daily Breeze, many mobile traffic map apps are causing problems on small Los Angeles residential streets. The apps such as Waze, Google Maps, and Apple Maps attempt to help drivers take the fastest route to their destination and avoid detected traffic. The problem is that some of the traffic is diverted to small side streets or residential streets that are not designed for heavy traffic, and too much traffic on these small streets can lead to dangerous conditions.
A new motion before the Los Angeles city council proposes that the city get involved with these app makers to attempt to reduce the problems these apps cause. As one councilman put it, “Mobile app makers are sacrificing the quality of life in our neighborhoods, just so drivers can save a few seconds or minutes with an alternate route, we have an obligation to see what can be done to protect our neighborhoods and prevent these apps from continuing to divert drivers from major avenues onto small residential streets that aren’t designed to accommodate high-volume traffic.”
The use of these apps to divert traffic caused major problems during the wildfires last year. As police tried to control traffic during evacuations, many drivers using the apps were guided into closed streets or down dangerous paths causing more congestion. The hope is for the city to have more input on what information app users get, particularly in emergency situations. The motion also asks the city attorney to determine whether app companies should share liability for damages when a Los Angeles car accident is caused by their users.
Too much traffic on small residential roads can lead to car accidents, which far too often result in personal injuries. Not only are there too many cars on these small roads, but drivers must also be aware of pedestrians and cyclists in residential areas.
It will be interesting to see if this motion passes and if these app makers will share in liability if an accident occurs while a driver is using their app. If they are required to share liability, it means that those injured can bring a personal injury claim against the driver of the car that caused the accident, as well as the app makers guiding the car.
For now, if you are injured by a careless driver in a Los Angeles car accident, it is important to contact a personal injury attorney. At Walch Law, we have over 45 years of experience handling car accident cases and we can help you determine who to bring a claim against so you can be compensated for your injuries. Call us today at 1-866-INJURY-2 (866-465-8792)!