El Monte's Car Accident Rate Increased by Illegal Street Racers

El Monte car accident attorneys have noted illegaladopted red-light camera enforcement efforts to
street racing on city roads. Situated 12 miles eaststem the rise of red light running car accidents, El
of Downtown Los Angeles, the City of El MonteMonte recently ended its five-year old
lies in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley. An olderphoto-ticketing program. Cameras had been
city, El Monte has had to deal with a number ofinstalled at East Garvey and Lee St., Peck Rd and
traffic problems. Among the most alarming is theRamona St. and Santa Anita Ave. and Lower
dangerous trend of street racing.Azusa Rd. But according to the City Manager, the
In 2007, a man lost his wife and two children in acameras failed to reduce the number of
violent car crash when their car was broadsidedintersection accidents, so they were removed.
at Elliott and Parkway Drive by illegal car racers.El Monte's overall car accident statistics provide a
The impact was so devastating that the victim'sclearer snapshot of the city's traffic tragedies. A
car was rammed about 50 feet before ittotal of 13 fatal El Monte car accidents occurred in
slammed into a pickup truck and burst into flamesthe city between 2001 and 2003, according to
with its three passengers trapped inside.reports gathered by the National Highway Traffic
This is an enormous tragedy symptomatic ofSafety Administration. In 2006, the California
illegal street racing. Increased traffic enforcementHighway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic
and other police "sting operations" should beRecords System (SWITRS) reported nine car
mandated to catch both the racers and anyoneaccident deaths in the city and 527 traffic
else who participates in this dangerous activity.accident-related injuries. Motorcycle accidents killed
Street racing is nothing new to residents alongtwo and injured 21. DUI collisions took their toll,
Parkway Drive. There have been five major caraccounting for five fatalities and 46 personal
collisions along this street. To slow down speedersinjuries. One pedestrian was killed and 44 were
and discourage illegal speed racers, El Monteinjured in city traffic collisions.
recently installed 35 speed bumps along ParkwayTo reduce the number of traffic accidents in the
Drive near Mountain View High School. The speedcity, El Monte has opted to step up its traffic
bumps make it difficult to drive faster than 25enforcement efforts. The city's Traffic Safety
mph without damaging the driver's car.Bureau places special emphasis on unlicensed
Illegal street racing car accidents are just one ofdrivers and is committed to reducing hit-and-run
the problems faced by El Monte. As in manytraffic accidents. In addition, the Bureau routinely
cities, red-light runners pose a lethal hazard toconducts DUI and safety checkpoints within the
law-abiding drivers. And while most cities havecity to encourage drivers not to drink and drive.