Unfortunately, intersection accidents are among the most common—and the deadliest—type of automobile accidents in the United States. People tend to believe that a yellow light simply means they should speed up rather than stop, meaning they generally end up in the intersection on a solid red light and are hit by a car whose driver rightfully believes they have the right of way. Some estimates put intersection accidents at a full one third of the total number of accidents, and although some cities have installed red light cameras in an attempt to lessen the number of intersection accidents, the numbers haven’t come down.
What Causes Intersection Accidents?
Intersection accidents occur from drivers who go through yellow and red lights as well as drivers who anticipate the green light and start through the intersection before the light has completely changed to green. Other causes of intersection accidents included such factors as distracted drivers. Distracted drivers are becoming more and more common on our roadways.
Americans spend so much time inside their vehicles that they have come to think of them as a home on wheels. We eat inside our car while driving, talk on our cell phone, fiddle with the radio or GPS, talk to passengers or turn around to scold the children in the back seat. Some drivers even apply makeup or read while driving to work. Any of these behaviors are incredibly risky, and can cause all sorts of accidents as well as an intersection accident.
Fatigue, Alcohol and Intersection Design as Causes of Intersection Accidents
Fatigued drivers are also becoming more common, especially truck drivers who have been behind the wheel for an excessive number of hours. New studies have shown that driving while exhausted is every bit as dangerous as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The fatigued driver may fail to properly look both ways before traveling through the intersection. The driver who is impaired is also a hazard to others at intersections.
Other causes of intersection accidents lie in the design of the intersections themselves. There may be limited visibility issues, or they may simply be poorly designed. Excessive speed can also be a factor in intersection accidents, especially when drivers speed up in order to get through the light before it turns red. Drivers who fail to properly yield the right-of-way in an intersection put other motorists at great risk. Those who have been injured in an intersection accident have found it to be an uphill battle to get compensation from insurance companies who routinely deny claims.
Further Reading: How to Share the Road with Truckers
How to Avoid Intersection Accidents
Any time a driver approaches an intersection he or she should stop at the light or stop sign and look both ways, then look again. The few seconds necessary to perform this exercise allows any approaching cars to come within your view, so look right, then left, then right and left again—it could save your life. When you are waiting at an intersection and the light turns green, take an extra second and quickly look both ways prior to proceeding.
Rushing into the intersection without looking could put you directly in the path of an oncoming car who thought they could make it through the yellow light. You should also avoid changing lanes in the middle of an intersection since you will have no idea how many other drivers are making their own decisions based on your remaining in the lane you are in.
Getting Help for Your Injuries and Damages
The injuries sustained from an intersection crash can be quite serious. If you were hit from the side this is known as a broadside accident or a T-bone accident. There is little protection on the side of a vehicle—no airbag unless your vehicle is equipped with side airbags, and no space between you and the oncoming car such as you would have from a front or rear collision.
If you’ve been the victim of an intersection accident which was caused by the negligence of another, they must be held accountable for your injuries and the damages to your vehicle. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney will be able to help you recover the losses resulting from your collision such as medical expenses, therapy, lost wages, physical pain and mental trauma. Your attorney will help you understand your rights and give you an approximate figure as far as compensation which could be available to you.
Contact Our Experienced Broomfield Car Accident Lawyers
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident in Broomfield, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, or anywhere in Colorado, it is important to contact our experienced person7al injury attorneys immediately. At Hull & Zimmerman, P.C., our committed personal injury lawyers are dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves justice. Contact us at (303) 423-1770 or (866) 385-3505.
Our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience representing injured accident victims in Broomfield, Arvada, Superior, Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Brighton, Commerce City, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, Longmont, and throughout Colorado.
