Intersections are dangerous, and it’s well known. When traffic lanes cross, the odds of accidents go up. It’s just an inevitable risk based on the road design. This is why some drivers will even be wary of intersections and avoid them when possible, especially if they know that they have to turn left – the most dangerous turn you can make while driving a car.
As it turns out, the fear of intersections is warranted when breaking down the statistics. When you combine fatalities and injuries, over half of these accidents happen at intersections. This means that, statistically speaking, you are most likely to be involved in an accident leading to injuries or death when you are driving through an intersection.
What can you do to stay safe?
One thing that can help you stay safe is being alert and aware. For instance, did you know that distraction from a phone lasts for 27 seconds after you put that phone down? Some of these intersection accidents happen because people are using the phone at a red light, but they’re still distracted when they set the phone down and start driving again. If you stay alert and focused on the road, you can drive safely.
It’s also important to remember that all of the controls at an intersection just tell drivers how to operate their vehicles safely, but they don’t force them to do so. For instance, it may still be a good idea to look both ways, even when the light turns green. If someone is going to run the red light, that traffic signal isn’t going to stop them– even though you had the right of way.
You can’t always avoid driving through intersections, so there’s a chance you could be injured in an accident caused by another driver. If you are, take the time to look into your options to seek financial compensation.
