Intersections are bustling hubs of traffic along a city’s roadways. Safety at an intersection is a sure thing as long as everyone obeys traffic signals and maintains good driving practices.
When drivers are negligent or impatient, however, intersections can be sites of catastrophic motor vehicle accidents. You can help protect yourself and others from traumatic personal injuries by knowing some of the most common causes of intersection crashes.
1. Running a red light or stop sign
Drivers in a hurry might try to justify running a red light or stop sign if they do not see traffic coming from a perpendicular direction. It is dangerous to trust your perception to make such quick judgments when driving at a high speed without stopping. Speeding up at a yellow traffic light is dangerous for similar reasons. (delete?)
2. Turning with an obstructed view
Turning into an intersection with an obstructed view of oncoming traffic can easily cause a severe rear-end collision. A common example of this is when one driver makes a right turn when a larger vehicle on the left side blocks the line of sight for the intended lane.
3. Failing to yield the right of way
When a driver has the right of way, they trust other motorists to know and respect it. For example, a solid green traffic light usually indicates that a left turn is legal, but oncoming traffic still has the right away. Turning in front of oncoming traffic in this situation is likely to cause a wreck.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, more than half of all car crash injuries occur in or near intersections. It is crucial that all drivers observe proper conduct at intersections to help ensure the safety of everyone.