Summer is here and many people will be heading to Southern California to visit family, friends and popular vacation spots.  The already crowded Southern California freeways will begin to swell with even more vehicles with drivers that may be new to the area.  When driving in an unfamiliar area you typically drive slower and are unsure of which lanes to be in to hit your desired exit.  This can be a bad combination with the local drivers speeding to their desired destination.

Unfortunately, there are many traffic accidents in Southern California each and everyday.  However, there are a few things that you can do that may reduce your chances of being involved in an accident.

• Plan your trip in advance and look up your desired driving route.  Knowing what freeways to take and which exits you need will help prepare you for your drive, so that you don’t find yourself in the wrong lane when your exit approaches.
• Always follow all traffic laws (I know, duh right?).
• Pay attention to the drivers around you.  You know what your going to do, but paying close attention to how drivers around you are driving is critical to avoid getting into dangerous situations that can lead to an accident.
• Don’t make sudden lane changes or sudden changes in your speed, because you don’t know if the drivers around you are paying attention.  If they aren’t, then you could very well cause an accident.

These are just a few “common sense” things to consider when hitting the roads in Southern California.  If you do get into an accident in Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, Irvine or another area, its important to talk with a local personal injury attorney.  Below are some online resources that you can use to find an attorney in your area:

• Findlaw.com
• Avvo.com
• Justia.com
• Lawyers.com
• PersonalInjuryAttorneys.tv