Enough literature has already been written about the dangers of intersections. At this point, everyone knows that intersections are no fun for any vehicle. They’re complicated, confusing, and get jammed up way too easily. Unfortunately, like it or not, intersections are a vital component of the driving world, and they’re certainly very dangerous.
About 2.5 million intersections accidents are reported every year, or forty percent of total crashes (the Federal Highway Administrations).
However, in spite of all the negative drama surrounding intersections, navigating them isn’t actually that difficult. Before diving into the core principles behind safe intersection driving, lets look at some of the problems.
Complicated and Confusing
Put simply, intersections take a lot of patience to deal with. They’re easily overcrowded – especially during rush hour – and switching lanes is always a pain. There’s always a lot going on and it can be overwhelming. However, it is more important at intersections than anywhere else to be aware of your surroundings.
Negligent drivers are a sad reality and they’ll run red lights, take awkward turns and speed with reckless abandon. This is the main reason intersections are so dangerous. Ignorant drivers run rampant and incite awkward interactions. While you can’t completely prevent this reality, you can take efforts to minimize them.
While intersections can be difficult for cars, they’re even worse for motorcyclists and cyclists. These two groups are already in inherently vulnerable states due to the structural limitations of their vehicles. If they’re caught in an awkward situation, there’s almost always no escaping. Making sure you don’t disadvantage the already disadvantaged is an important facet of the correct driving attitude at intersections.
Solving the Puzzle
Intersection driving doesn’t have to be so stressful. In fact, the following tips may help you piece together the puzzle on how to safely navigate intersections with minimal stress:
Be careful at turns.
The majority of intersection accidents occur as a result of poor left turns. Making sure you’re not conflicting with another driver is a vital first step to minimizing the potential of an accident.
Follow the law.
Speeding and illegal lane changing are both recipes of disasters. Not only are you endangering others, but intersections are also full of police cars. Let avoiding tickets be an added incentives.
Practice defensive driving.
Protecting yourself against negligent drivers is absolutely necessary to ensure your safety. Being aware of your surroundings is especially important in the chaotic intersection environment.
Be overly cautious.
There’s nothing wrong with going a bit slower or waiting a bit longer to press down on your accelerator. Don’t mind what others think – protect yourself first.
Don’t make an already dangerous situation even more threatening – utilize these tips to reduce the stress of driving, and the potential risk for car collisions can be significantly reduced. Happy driving and be safe!
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in an automobile accident due to another driver’s negligence, contact my office immediately. As your Ohio car accident attorney, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For over four decades, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus, Dayton and neighboring communities. You can reach Tim by email at misnylaw.com/ask-tim-a-question/ or call at 877.944.4373
