Intersections are high-risk areas

On Behalf of | Mar 21, 2017 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Do you remember how nervous you were when you got your driver’s license? It’s a feeling many Ohio motorists experience when they first get behind the wheel. It’s understandable, too, as drivers face challenging situations, such as traveling highways alongside fast-moving tractor-trailers or parallel parking in heavy-traffic, downtown areas. Some roadways seem to be high-risk locations for motor vehicle collisions, which can add to a new driver’s stress. For instance, intersections present inherent dangers that place even the best drivers at risk.

Many serious car accidents take place at crossroad areas. Some involve multiple vehicles, and others involve pedestrians. To safely navigate an intersection, all travelers (whether in cars or on foot) must remain alert and act with caution at all times. If even one motorist is negligent or behaves recklessly in some way, the results can be disastrous.

Top intersection dangers

Two types of intersections exist: controlled and uncontrolled. The former means that government agencies installed either traffic lights or stop signs to regulate traffic flow, while the latter have none. In either case, all intersections present the following risks in both urban and rural areas:

  • Accidents between vehicles and pedestrians: Foot travelers have the right-of-way in a crosswalk. If a motorist fails to adhere to traffic signals, or is distracted in some way, an uneventful commute could turn to tragedy in an instant.
  • T-bone crashes: These types of collisions often occur when one driver tries to beat a yellow light before it turns red or fails to yield to another motorist.
  • Head-on collisions: Many intersection accidents involve vehicles that have literally smashed into one another head-to-head. These types of collisions often result in fatalities.

Even if you’re paying close attention to your surroundings at an intersection that doesn’t mean all other drivers in the vicinity are doing the same. When you factor in school buses or extenuating circumstances, such as emergency vehicles with sirens and lights blaring, getting through an intersection unscathed can amount to a major motor vehicle safety victory.

What happens when you don’t make it through an intersection safely?

One minute, you’re easing your foot down onto the gas pedal because the traffic light in front of you has turned green, and the next thing you know, your life changed forever when a person sending a text message while driving fails to see a red light and keeps going and smashes into the side of your car. Especially if a child passenger or other immediate family member succumbs to injury in the collision, the emotional wounds of such incidents can be just as devastating as physical ones.

You’ve probably replayed the scene a thousand times in your mind. On top of the tremendous grief that accompanies a loved one’s death, many surviving family members like yourself often face unexpected financial strain when medical bills for treatment of their own injuries, funeral expenses and other accident costs accumulate. No amount of compensation can replace a life; however, by discussing the situation with an experienced Ohio personal injury attorney, you can explore the available options to seek compensation for the many damages you suffered.

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