Statistics tell us that intersections are very dangerous for drivers. Roughly 25% of everyone who dies in a car accident will be involved in that crash at an intersection. At the same time, intersections are responsible for nearly half of all injuries in accidents.
You can’t necessarily avoid intersections, but it can help to know why they’re so dangerous and why these accidents occur. It may be wise to be a defensive driver, especially when you’re at an intersection. Let’s take a look at two reasons why they create such a high amount of risk.
1. Traffic crosses paths
First of all, the road design itself is dangerous. At a four-way stop, drivers from four different directions are all crossing paths on two streets. It’s true that drivers make mistakes almost everywhere, but the ramifications can be very severe at an intersection because one minor error means they collide with another car. Plus, at four-way stops and two-way stops, drivers have to make a judgment call about when it’s safe to drive, and some of them are going to make the wrong decision.
2. Drivers are distracted
Secondly, many drivers are distracted at intersections. At a red light, a lot of them get out their cellphones to check their notifications. They think that they won’t be distracted when they start driving again, but that’s not true. Studies have found that the distraction lasts for almost half a minute after they stop using the phone. So many people driving through an intersection are technically still distracted drivers.
Have you suffered serious injuries in a crash that another driver caused? If so, you need to know exactly what legal rights you have to seek financial compensation.