Rancho Santa Margarita is a beautiful city located in Southern Orange County. It is one of the youngest cities of Orange County. Rancho Santa Margarita was not incorporated until January 1, 2000. In 2000, Rancho Santa Margarita had 47, 214 residents. According to the 2010 census, there were 47,853 residents.
Rancho Santa Margarita was first inhabited by Native Americans. In 1769, Spanish Captain Gaspar de Portola came to the area. The Spaniards went inland and found a large plateau area. This area was to the east of present day Trabuco Creek. One of the Spaniard soldiers lost his musket, or Trabuco in Spanish. The canyon and area has been known as Trabuco ever since. These Spaniards went on to create Mission San Juan Capistrano.
The area around the mission was sectioned into three large ranchos: Rancho Trabuco, Rancho Mission Viejo, and Rancho Santa Margarita. All of the ranchos were later bought by James L. Flood and Jerome O誰eil, in 1882. Until the 1920s, the large estate continued to be a working ranch. In 1940, the ranch was divided. The Flood family took the southern portion, which is today a part of San Diego County. The O誰eil family took the northern portion.
In 1948, the O誰eil family donated 278 acres of canyon bottom land to the County of Orange. The land was to be developed into a park. In 1963, The O誰eil family donated another 120 acres. During 1963, the O誰eil family also created the Mission Viejo Company. The family also created a community under the name Mission Viejo.
By the 1960s, homes were being built in Trabuco Canyon. Some of the area became Coto de Caza. In 1986, the first homes in a Rancho Santa Margarita were sold. During the 1980s, more communities were developed in Rancho Santa Margarita.
In 1989, the community established a Community Civic Association. In 1999, voters voted to incorporate Rancho Santa Margarita planned community, Robinson Ranch, Dove canyon, Rancho Cielo, Trabuco Highlands, and Walden communities. On January 1, 2000, Rancho Santa Margarita became the 33rd city in Orange County.
Rancho Santa Margarita is known for its village and open feel. This makes it a perfect place for parks. Rancho Santa Margarita has beautiful wilderness parks, dog parks, and even skate parks. Rancho Santa Margarita痴 wilderness parks include Starr Ranch Sanctuary, O誰eil Regional Park, Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park, and Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. Starr Ranch Sanctuary is a 4,000 acre nature preserve next to Dove Canyon and Coto de Caza. The O誰eil Regional Park is 3,100 acres of green hills, oak trees, sycamore trees, and grassy meadows.
Rancho Santa Margarita is lucky because it has a very low fatal accident rate. From 2005-2009, there were no fatal accidents. There were also no fatal accidents from 1992 to 1999. However, these accident rates can be very misleading. These rates do not take into account nonfatal accidents. If nonfatal accidents were included, the accident rate would be higher. Furthermore, these rates are very simplistic. These rates deal with numbers, but the extent of trauma and suffering caused by accidents cannot be measured by numbers. Car accidents cause incredible emotional and physical trauma. Nonfatal accidents can still cause the victims to experience life-long physical trauma. Every accident, regardless of severity, will cause emotional trauma.
Freeways often contribute to car accident rates. Rancho Santa Margarita only has one freeway that passes through it: State Route 241. State Route 241 is a toll road. It runs from Rancho Santa margarita to Yorba Linda. It is an alternative route to Interstate 5 for those traveling from Inland Orange County and the Inland Empire.
Interstate 5 is Rancho Santa Margarita痴 closest non toll road freeway. This freeway is the main interstate highway of the West Coast. It runs along the coast of California. Interstate 5 connects important cities such as Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, Olympia, and Salem. It is one of the most congested freeways in the United States. This freeway is notorious for its traffic during rush hour. However, many commuters must use this freeway to get to work. For Rancho Santa Margarita, Interstate 5 is the only way to drive to San Diego County, Northern Orange County, or Los Angeles.
Car accidents can happen to anyone, but there are many ways to protect yourself from an accident. Here are some safe driving tips. It is important to remember to follow the speed limit. The speed limit was instituted to protect all drivers on the road. Driving too slow or too fast can cause accidents.
When it is raining, drive with caution and avoid puddles of water. If it is raining, it is important to use to windshield wipers and headlights to improve visibility. You want to make sure that other cars can see you. Furthermore, it is very dangerous to drive blindly.
Each driver should focus on driving. Avoid distractions such as texting, eating and drinking, using a cell phone, or grooming while driving. Even a split second distraction can cause a deadly accident. When a driver is distracted, he or she is basically driving blind.
Driving while under the influence is also never a good idea. It is much easier and smarter to just call a cab or a have a designated driver. In 2010, one person died every 51 minutes from a drunken driving related car accident.
If you or a loved one is the victim of a car accident, there are legal resources available to help you through the difficult recovery process. Car accidents can cause extensive emotional and physical trauma. A car accident lawyer can help you seek damages for any losses you may have experienced.
We, The Law Offices of Dara Khajavi, hope that you are never the victim of a car accident. However, if you are ever in this situation, we are fully equipped to handle your case. Our excellent car accident lawyers have won countless cases. Please call us today for a free consultation. There will be absolutely no charges until your case is won.