Almost everybody can agree that Southern California is paradise. With an average temperature of 70 degrees and over 300 days of sunshine each year all while being located on the Pacific Ocean, what could make it any better? However, there’s one thing we can all agree on. There’s no shortage of hazards when it comes to Southern California driving. Let’s take a look at some of the things you need to look out for when you’re on the road.
1) Highway On-Ramps
Highway On-ramps can be pretty scary no matter where you are in the country. But Southern California definitely takes the cake for some of the most intense experience. Anybody trying to get onto the 94 in Golden Hill particularly knows this feeling. If you can’t speed up to 75 MPH on the short curving on-ramp in less than four seconds, you have about a 90% chance of being rear-ended. After a collision, taking steps to immediately fix your vehicle is so important. Not only will it help you get back on the road quicker, but also to keep your car in safe driving condition.
2) Texting While Driving
We are all guilty of this from time to time, but California seems to take the cake for having the highest volume of texting while driving people in the world. How often do you drive by somebody who is staring down at their phone and swerving all over the road? The only thing worse than that is when you are the passenger in that car!
3) Potholes
In some neighborhoods, potholes are actually generous terms. Sinkholes or pits would a better term! What’s worse is there’s no predicting where they going to be. You may be driving through one area where the roads are smooth and nice and then “BAM!” a massive pothole that seems to have instantly sprouted out of nowhere.
4) Interstate and Highway Merges
Everybody has experienced the Southern California driving traffic purgatory of where I-5 and I-805 merge together. But instead of people gradually making their way through the merge, it becomes a free for all in the miles leading up to it with every car driving as fast as possible to try to get through it. Funnily enough, it’s equally scary on the opposite side where they split apart. If you’ve ever been in the carpool lane and need to break off to the I-5 you have to pass through 7 lanes of traffic going at least 80 mph!
5) The Random Construction
They say all of the road construction is planned years in advance, but only in a few places do they actually warn you about it. We all expected the interstates to have some construction going on, but in downtown roads or back streets have random construction that pops up at random intervals. The roads close down to one lane and you get stuck behind massive construction equipment or semis trying to blaze through them and it just makes for a recipe for disaster.
Bonus: Street Sweepers
The street sweepers are amazing machines. You never actually see them unless you are given a ticket for parking in one of the zones or they’ve kicked up a whole bunch of rocks and debris scratching your car. Whether you are holding a $50 ticket or a broken mirror, the question you’ll probably be asking yourself is: why don’t the streets actually look any cleaner?
The Hazards of Southern California Driving
When it comes to Southern California, there’s no shortage of potential dangers. That’s why you want to be sure to have a have good automotive repair shop. AF Collision, for example, can handle anything for a dinged car door to serious repairs and overhaul. They can also do custom jobs, kit installations as well as install protective add-ons like paint coatings and more. So don’t worry because no matter what happens out there on those crazy roads, there are professionals here to help!