Whenever you come to an intersection, you want to be exceptionally careful in your vehicle. You need to be aware that this is one of the most dangerous places you will be driving and that many accidents take place – increasing your risks.
For example, about 50% of all injuries in car accidents annually happen at intersections. Simply approaching one is one of the most dangerous things you can do in your car. Why do these accidents happen and how can you stay safe?
Driver impairment
In a lot of cases, accidents at intersections happen because drivers are impaired. For example, you could be rear-ended by a drunk driver who didn’t notice that the light turned red. You have no way to avoid this, as you have simply stopped at the light and you don’t realize that the other driver isn’t going to stop until it’s too late.
Driver distraction
A more modern reason for these accidents is that drivers also get distracted. Someone could be looking down at their cell phone as they send a text message, for example, and this could cause them to run a stop sign that they never saw.
Poor judgment calls
Finally, intersections require judgment calls by drivers regarding when to turn safely and in accordance with the law. It’s simply a more complicated area to drive than most other areas you will encounter. This means that drivers are more likely to make mental mistakes that lead to accidents.
If you’ve been injured in an accident at an intersection, take the time to carefully consider the legal options at your disposal. You may need compensation for medical bills and other costs.
