Lake Forest is located in Orange County. In 2000, the population was 587,707 people. According to the census in 2010, the population was 77, 264 people. The city of Lake Forest was incorporated in 1991. It has two man-made lakes. The city got its name from these lakes. Lake Forest’s motto is “Remember the past, challenge the future.”
The Lake Forrest area was settled by Don Jose Serrano. He received this land through a Mexican land grant in 1846. It was originally called Rancho Canada De Los Alisos. In Spanish, this means the Valley of the Sycamores. This area eventually became known as El Toro after the bulls on Don Jose Serrano’s ranch. The land stayed in Don Jose’s family for more than a century. Don Jose’s descendants were forced to sell the land.
In the early 1900’s, there was a California lumber shortage. Dwight Whiting, a resident of the area, planted 400 acres of eucalyptus, in response to the lumber shortage. The area was a fast growing agricultural community that benefited from these additions. These eucalyptus trees can still be seen today in Lake Forest.
After World War II, the acres of farmland in the area were replaced with developed buildings. The amount of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings increased quickly. In the 1960’s, the Lake Forest area’s growth has sped up by Occidental Petroleum. The company developed a plan for a master-planned community based around the abundant trees. The plan also included the addition of the man-made lakes. The combination of the eucalyptus trees and man-made lakes contributed to the naming of Lake Forest.
Lake Forest is the perfect location for parks. In fact, it has 27 public parks. One of these parks, Whiting Ranch Regional Wilderness Park, has acres full of hiking trails and forest. The scene trails are a popular attraction for locals and tourists. Lake Forest also has many tennis, handball, basketball, and volleyball courts. The city also has a beautiful golf course. Heritage Hill Park is another popular park in Lake Forest. The Etnies State Park is also a popular park in Lake Forest. The park was opened in late 2003. 1,150 cubic yards of cement were used in the building of the park. The public skate park is the largest free skate park in the state. The park was a joint venture between Lake Forest and Etnies.
Lake Forest is very fortunate that it has a very low fatal car accident rate. Between the years of 1992 and 2009, only four years had fatal accidents. In the four years, there was only one fatal accident per year. Although Lake Forest has been lucky enough to have so few accidents, this can easily change. A car accident can happen to anyone. Even the safest driver is susceptible to a car accident. It only takes a few seconds for a car crash to happen. Furthermore, this statistic does not include nonfatal accidents. The nonfatal car accident rate would be much higher.
Freeways and busy streets contribute to accident rates. Lake Forest has one freeway and one toll road that runs through it. The 405 borders Lake Forest, and the 241, a toll road, passes through Lake Forest. The 5 also runs closely to Lake Forest.
Interstate 405 is a major north-south Interstate Highway in Southern California. It is a very congested freeway. Many commuters and freight haulers use it. In 2011 and 2012, portions of the 405 were closed for a weekend. These times were popularly referred to as Carmageddon. The public feared that there would be huge increase in traffic during these closures. However, there was no heavy traffic either weekend. It is consistently listed as one of the most congested freeways in the United States. Interstate 405 also has a high car accident rate. This is also the closest freeway located to Lake Forest.
Interstate 5 connects to the 405 near Lake Forest. The Interstate 5 is a major north-south freeway of the Interstate Highway System. It is the most important and used north-south route on the Pacific Coast. This freeway connects too many important cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. The Interstate 5 is also notorious for its heavy traffic during rush hour. There have been many fatal car accidents on this freeway, but it is an impossible freeway to avoid. Lake Forrest residents must use the 5 to drive to Irvine, Santa Ana, and Anaheim.
Freeway can be dangerous to drive on, but there are many bad driving habits that contribute to car accidents. Distracted driving is one of the most serious bad driving habits. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines distracted driving as any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from driving. Distractions can include texting, eating, talking to passengers, and even using a navigation system. This is a serious issue. In 2010, 3092 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver. 416,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. Driving is an activity that requires a lot of attention. An irresponsible driver could cut you off. If you were distracted, you may not be able to respond quickly enough to avoid the car. A focused driver would be able to anticipate any sudden cars.
If you or someone you love is the victim of a car collision, there are legal resources available. Car accidents can be quite expensive. They can result in expensive car repair bills, medical bills, and even loss of income. These costs do not even begin to cover the extent of physical and emotional trauma a car accident victim can go through. A car accident lawyer can help you seek damages for any losses you may have experienced.
The Law Offices of Dara Khajavi is ready to help you through this difficult recovery process. Our diligent Orange County car accident lawyers have won countless cases. They understand the complicated nature of these legal proceedings and will guide you the whole way. Please do not hesitate to call us for a free consultation.