Abstract
In this article, the author points out that half of California's fatal traffic accidents on non-freeways and 60 percent of freeway traffic fatalities involve only one vehicle - often meeting a fixed object such as a tree or a light pole. In an attempt to lower this toll of unnecessary death and injury, California has made an effort to (1) reduce the number of fixed objects and place these objects at less vulnerable locations; and (2) engage in additional research and testing procedures to improve and make safer all necessary fixed objects on or near the road.