Starting in January, Massachusetts will be getting 350 new left lane turn signals in hopes of reducing the number of intersection traffic accidents. State officials said one quarter of traffic accidents that occur at intersections, happen when a driver is turning left (source: WCVB).
Other states in the Country use a flashing yellow arrow that has decreased intersection traffic accidentsby 20 percent. The flashing yellow arrow will be incorporated into the 350 new traffic lights that will be installed over the next two to three years. The green left arrow will change to a flashing yellow arrow, which means drivers can still turn left, but will need to yield to vehicles and pedestrians first. Next comes a solid yellow arrow, which means the light is about to turn red, and oncoming traffic may still have a green light (source: WCVB).
Here are a few intersection traffic accidents statistics:
- According to 2005 fatality figures by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 42,636 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 3 million people were injured.
- The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 43% of motor vehicle crashes occur at intersections or are “intersection-related.”
- In 2003, more than 1.9 million intersection crashes occurred throughout the nation. Of those, red light running crashes accounted for 219,000 crashes, 181,000 injuries and approximately 1,000 deaths. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, IIHS, and Federal Highway Administration, FHWA, 2004)
- Fifty-eight percent (58%) of all pedestrian injuries and twenty-one percent (21%) of fatal injuries to pedestrians occur in collisions with motor vehicles at intersections. (IIHS, 2005)
- In 2004, there was more than 9,117 fatal “intersection” or “intersection-related” crashes nationwide. This accounts for approximately one of every five fatal crashes on our roads. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, 2005)
- In urban areas, nearly 50% of all crashes occur at intersections. (FHWA, 2005)
- Over 40% of all pedestrian fatalities occur at intersections with no crosswalk. (NHTSA, 2004)
- On average, a pedestrian is killed every 111 minutes in the U.S. (NHTSA, 2004)
Given the number of pedestrian-traffic accidents that have occurred in Massachusetts this past year, these new traffic lights come at just the right time and will hopefully create safer roads and reduce the number of intersection traffic accidents.
If you or a loved one has suffered a personal injury due to the careless of another in a traffic accident, please do not hesitate to contact Attorney Jim Brady and Associates, P.C. at: 508-660-8888 or via the web: www.attorneyjimbrady.com.