According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 40 percent of all vehicle collisions occur at intersections. From running red lights to turning left in front of oncoming traffic, careless mistakes and aggressive driving can have costly consequences, and drivers who put others at risk deserve to be held accountable for their actions.
COMMON FACTORS IN INTERSECTION ACCIDENTS
More than half of all intersection accidents occur at intersections regulated by traffic signals, according to the NHTSA’s data. Roughly one-third occur at intersections regulated by stop signs, and about one-sixth occur at intersections without traffic signals or stop signs. Among all of these accidents, the most common factors leading to dangerous collisions are:
- Colliding with a stopped vehicle
- Colliding with a vehicle traveling the same direction
- Turning left in front of oncoming traffic
- Turning right on red
- Crossing over a lane line at an intersection
- Speeding resulting in loss of control
- Vehicles traveling off of the road
The NHTSA’s data also indicate that 96 percent of all intersection accidents are attributable to driver error. This includes:
- Recognition errors, such as failing to see a red light or stop sign as the result of a driving distraction (55.7 percent)
- Decision errors, such as attempting to “beat” a yellow light (29.2 percent)
- Other driver-related errors (11.2 percent)
In other words, if you were injured in an intersection accident that wasn’t your fault, it is almost certain that another driver was at fault, and this means that you can seek just compensation for your injury-related losses. If you have suffered a severe and permanent injury, this includes your outstanding medical bills, future medical expenses, lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other financial and non-financial losses. In most cases, crash victims’ losses (and particularly their future losses) are far greater than they realize, and it is not until they speak with an experienced Florida accident attorney that they comprehend the full scope of the accident’s long-term effects.
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