You might know that accidents may happen at any section of the road, but not that they mainly occur at the intersections. Collisions at intersections are severe and often come with devastating effects. The impact of an intersection accident may result in serious injuries, sometimes even permanent disability.
Intersections can be dangerous, resulting in rear-end crashes, head-on collisions, and side-impact accidents. A car accident attorney will tell you that Chicago’s dangerous intersections contribute a hefty number of Chicago’s accidents annually.
What Are the Common Causes of Intersection Accidents?
Intersections are some of the most congested areas on public roads. More than two roads may be intersecting at one point, causing an increase in traffic and therefore the rate of collisions. The critical part of proving liability after an intersection accident is determining the cause of the intersection accident.
Before protecting yourself against such accidents, first, you need to know what causes intersection accidents. Here are the most common causes of intersection accidents:
1. Traffic Congestion
Driving toward an intersection brings together drivers from different roads. The vehicles approaching the corner travel at different speeds, some slower than others. Aggressive drivers who change lanes at the intersection may cause traffic congestion when trying to switch to a separate route.
Congestion in traffic may also be caused by poor weather conditions, road work, and blocked lanes that redirect traffic to another route.
2. Speeding at the Intersection
Under no circumstances is speeding allowed while driving. Racing at a road intersection can cause a severe road accident, often involving many vehicles. The likelihood of causing an accident is increased when you are driving at a faster speed.
Adhering to traffic laws when approaching an intersection is also crucial because it requires you to slow down. The next time you are driving or riding toward a corner, check your speed.
3. Failure to Give Way While Making a Turn
Making a left turn at an intersection requires that you stop and give way to oncoming vehicles. You may fail to identify the different road signs and arrows at a junction and make an incorrect judgment that results in a crash.
You cannot control the actions of other drivers as you can your own actions. Once you realize another driver is failing to yield while making a left turn, allow them the right of way for your own safety.
4. Turning with a Blocked View
The general traffic rule is that you need to check if the road is clear before making a turn. Before making any left turn, make sure you activate your signal to notify other drivers of your move. While making the turn, you can only do so after giving way to the vehicles coming from the right.
Failing to estimate the speed of the oncoming vehicles may result in an avoidable crash at the intersection point. Next time you make that left turn, ensure your view is clear and give way to oncoming vehicles from the right.
5. Making Illegal Moves on the Road
Drivers on the road drive while adhering to traffic rules. Failure to follow traffic rules that regulate driving in an intersection will result in car crashes that may involve multiple vehicles. Common mistakes such as speeding, tailgating, making a wrong turn, and failing to yield result in avoidable car crashes at an intersection.
Intersection Accidents Are Avoidable
The intersections of roads are dangerous because of the merging traffic from different lanes. Avoiding car crashes at these points is as simple as realizing what causes them and finding ways to prevent collisions.