Intersections can be dangerous places for people in vehicles, as well as pedestrians and bicyclists. Since multiple vehicles pass through intersections going in different directions or making right or left turns, dangerous car accidents can occur if drivers are not fully paying attention to other vehicles, traffic signals, or people or objects in the road. In fact, around half of all car accident injuries occur at intersections, and these types of collisions account for around one-fourth of all traffic fatalities. Following an accident at an intersection, victims can take steps to protect their rights and their ability to receive compensation by working with a skilled attorney.
Causes of Crashes in Intersections
A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that the vast majority (around 96 percent) of car accidents at intersections occur because of the actions of drivers. Drivers may make multiple types of errors when navigating intersections that lead them to collide with or injure others. These errors include:
- Inadequate surveillance – The most common cause of accidents was drivers’ failure to monitor their surroundings properly. These include crashes that occurred because drivers did not look both ways before proceeding through an intersection or did not look for other vehicles or pedestrians before making a turn. These errors account for around 44 percent of intersection-related collisions.
- False assumptions about others’ actions – Collisions can occur because a person assumes that other drivers or pedestrians will take certain actions, such as allowing them to have the right of way. An accident may be caused by a driver who proceeds through an intersection without making sure that other drivers have acted as expected. These errors were to blame for around 8 percent of collisions in intersections.
- Turning with an obstructed view – Objects near the road or other vehicles may prevent a driver from seeing when vehicles or pedestrians are approaching an intersection. This can result in collisions if a driver proceeds through an intersection blindly. This issue is a factor in around 8 percent of intersection accidents.
- Illegal maneuvers – A driver may collide with others if they proceed through an intersection illegally, such as by running a red light. These violations account for around 7 percent of intersection-related crashes.
- Misjudgment of other vehicles – A driver may not accurately assess another vehicle’s speed or the size of the gap between other vehicles. This may lead them to rear-end collisions, or a person may cause an accident by turning in front of another vehicle. These types of errors are involved in around 6 percent of collisions that take place at intersections.
- Inattention and distracted driving – Failure to pay attention to the road or factors inside or outside a vehicle that cause distractions for drivers can affect a driver’s ability to react in time to avoid a collision. Inattention accounts for around three percent of intersection accidents. Internal distractions are to blame for around six percent of collisions, and external distractions are a cause of around two percent of crashes.
- Speeding and aggressive driving – Drivers who travel faster than is safe or who act aggressively by tailgating or cutting off other vehicles are responsible for around one percent of accidents in intersections.
Contact Our Green Bay Car Accident Injury Lawyers
If you have been involved in a car accident that took place at an intersection, the lawyers of Herrling Clark Law Firm, Ltd. can investigate the crash and gather evidence to show that the collision was caused by another driver’s errors. We will work to find footage of the collision captured by traffic cameras or nearby security cameras, and we will also obtain police reports, statements from witnesses, and recordings of 911 calls. We will help establish liability for the collision, ensuring that you will be able to receive financial compensation for your injuries and damages.
Contact our Appleton auto accident attorneys at 920-739-7366 to set up your free consultation today.
Sources:
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/about/
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811366