You can help yourself avoid intersection accidents by paying careful attention to oncoming traffic and other hazards that are on the road. Make a complete stop, look both ways, and accelerate slowly to safely maneuver through intersections.
Motorists who do not follow best practices and tips to avoid intersection accidents may find themselves as the cause. If you suffered injuries at an intersection due to another’s negligent actions, you can work with a car accident lawyer near you to find out what your legal options are regarding financial compensation.
Tips for Navigating Intersections Safely
Intersections experience a lot of traffic and have multiple elements that can contribute to an accident. For instance, blind spots and dark areas make it difficult to see oncoming traffic. Fortunately, there are strategies that every driver can use to make their commute or journey safer.
How do you avoid intersection accidents? The Federal Highway Administration offers some insight with a few best practices in intersection safety:
- Make a complete stop: it is tempting to roll through a light or stop sign especially when in a rush. However, it is in everyone’s best interest to make a full stop and look both ways before pulling out into the road.
- Look out for pedestrians and bicyclists: sharing the road with pedestrians means that you must be aware of their presence. Failure to abide by this practice can result in severe injuries.
- Use left-right-left: before driving through the intersection, be sure to check traffic by looking left, then right, and then left again.
- Never change lanes at an intersection: intersections with more than one lane generally have solid lines. These lines demonstrate where lane changes are not allowed since it is not safe to do so.
- Traffic signal awareness: always follow the directions of traffic signals. They are a uniform requirement throughout the United States, which means that it is the duty of drivers to obey them.
- Accelerate into traffic slowly: even if you think the roadway is clear, there is always the potential for an unknown hazard to appear. Pull into traffic slowly so that you can correct your maneuver if you suddenly need to respond.
The most effective way that you can avoid intersection accidents is by carefully inspecting the conditions and oncoming traffic before making a turn. You never know who or what is coming around the corner, and it is vital to ensure the safety of your life and the lives of others.
Causes of Intersection Accidents
We have all witnessed the actions of an impatient or distracted motorist trying to rush through an intersection light or stop sign. While this action may seem like a commonplace occurrence, distracted or aggressive driving is considered negligent.
These drivers may engage in one or more of the following aggressive driving behaviors that can cause an accident, including:
- Following behind other drivers too closely
- Improper or dangerous lane changes
- Prohibited or erratic passing
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence
- Not yielding to the right of way
- Disobeying traffic signals and signs
- Road rage
- Distracted driving
You can try to do everything you can to avoid these drivers in intersections, but you never know when they will appear. Sadly, not all drivers put the safety of themselves and others first when operating a motor vehicle.
What To Do if Another Driver Hits You in an Intersection
A driver is liable for an intersection accident if he or she was negligent behind the wheel. Drivers who are accountable for your accident injuries are responsible for paying your medical expenses, lost wages, and more. You can pursue this compensation by filing a claim with the insurer or filing a lawsuit in court.
If you hire a car accident attorney to negotiate a settlement or take your case to court, he or she will gather and preserve evidence that proves the other driver’s negligence. This evidence may include photos, surveillance videos, police reports, and more.
However, there is a statute of limitations on your ability to file a claim, which means that you should discuss your claim with an attorney before it expires. In general, missing this deadline means that you forgo your opportunity to go after a monetary award.
Morris Bart, LLC Offers a Free Case Evaluation to Intersection Accident Injury Victims
If you were unable to avoid an intersection accident, speaking with a car accident lawyer is the most practical way to determine if you have a car accident injury claim. He or she will provide you with legal counsel throughout the entire claims process.
You can discuss your options during a free consultation with the legal team at the Morris Bart law firm. Contact our office by phone to request yours at (800) 537-8185.