The City of Atlanta has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1837, but like so many cities, Atlanta has been transformed over the course of the last two decades. For example, the City of Atlanta estimates that the metro area population has exploded over the last two decades from 2.9 million to 4.1 million people. Moreover, our city ranks as the third largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation. As exciting as these changes are, they can come with some unintended consequences.
For example, the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety estimates that 60,984 car crashes occured in Fulton county in 2016 alone, and the number of car crashes has increased steadily from 2012 to 2016. Moreover, in the same year, there were an estimated 29 speed related fatalities fatalities in the Fulton county area. As the population in our city continues to grow, so does the number of car accidents that occur annually many of which occur at busy intersections.
Intersection Accidents in Atlanta, GA
Intersection accidents are a common scenario in our city and in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did a study of over 2 million car accidents nationwide and found that 36%, 787,236 accidents, were intersection related accidents. Moreover, of the 787,236 accidents that were analyzed in the study, the cause of 96% of them was attributed to a driver. This means that the majority of the intersection related accidents analyzed were caused due to a human error.
3 Common Causes of Intersection Accidents
The majority of car accidents are usually caused due to a failure to obey traffic laws. However, in intersection accidents, failing to obey the rules associated with traffic signals and stops signs is a common cause of accidents. So, if you are involved in an intersection car accident, there are certain common mistakes made by drivers that you should look for and keep in mind when you are speaking with the police.
1. Failing to yield at a red light turn
When a driver approaches a red light to make a right turn, they are suppose to stop and remain stopped at the intersection line for pedestrians. Moreover, a driver in this scenario is supposed yield to oncoming traffic when making the right turn pursuant to O.C.G.A. §40-6-21(a)(3)(C).
So, if you are involved in an intersection accident where a driver failed to yield while you were in oncoming traffic, the other driver could be found to be at fault. Similarly, if you were a pedestrian crossing the street at a crosswalk and a driver hit you due to a failure to stop at a red light, the driver could be at fault for the accident.
2. Failure to Yield When Making a Green Light Left Turn
When a driver is making a left turn at a green light, they are supposed to yield to oncoming traffic that is crossing the intersection, pursuant to O.C.G.A. §40-6-21(a)(1)(A). Failure to do so can result in getting hit by oncoming traffic. This scenario is often referred to as impeding another driver’s right of way, and normally, the driver making the turn is found to be at fault in this situation.
3. Running Red Lights
All drivers should be aware that running a red light is illegal, but a common scenario that occurs is that a driver will speed up when a traffic signal turns yellow. Traffic crossing the intersection will begin to move, but the driver speeding towards the yellow light is moving too fast to stop when the light turns red, which results in an accident.
The thing to keep in mind in this situation is finding a witness or nearby traffic camera that can corroborate what actually occurred. The reason being, the at-fault driver might try to claim that the light was still yellow when they began to cross the intersection in order to try and shift the blame on you. Finding a corroborating witness or looking for any nearby traffic cameras at the scene can help you break through this accusation in the end.
Intersection Accident Attorney in Atlanta, GA
Intersection accidents can result in serious life changing injuries that will affect you forever, which is why hiring a lawyer that will aggressively strive to hold the at-fault driver accountable is an essential element in reaching a positive resolution to your case. At Cambre and Associates, our team of car accident lawyers are dedicated to protecting your financial interests through vigorous thorough legal representation. Don’t let a car accident ruin your future. Call our office today for free consultation with a car accident lawyer.