Intersections can prove dangerous and difficult to navigate. Sometimes, it’s a matter of the intersection itself. You may discover, for example, that the intersection has odd angles or poor visibility. In other cases, however, intersection accidents may occur as a direct result of driver behaviors. From the most dangerous intersections in Atlanta, including interactions like East Park Place and Stone Mountain Highway and Memorial Drive and N Road, to less-dangerous intersections that may nevertheless have considerable accident potential, if you have had an accident in an Atlanta intersection, working with an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer can make it easier for you to determine what likely caused your accident and how you can pursue compensation.
Cause #1: Tight Angles
Intersections that come together at tight angles can mean poor visibility, which can make it very difficult for drivers to see the movement of other vehicles through the intersection. Those tight angles can also make the intersection more difficult to maneuver, increasing the odds that a vehicle will cross into another lane of traffic. Intersections with tight angles and odd turns may have a higher overall risk of accidents than intersections with clearer turns and 90-degree angles.
Cause #2: Driver Distraction
Drivers at any time need to pay careful attention to the road around them. In intersections, however, drivers may need to pay particular attention to everything taking place around them, since even small movements on the part of other drivers may change the way they need to react. Nevertheless, thousands of drivers in Georgia receive distracted driving citations each month. Distracted drivers may move through the intersection without noticing the presence of other drivers. In some cases, distracted drivers may not even realize that they have passed through an intersection. Unfortunately, that can lead to catastrophic injury for everyone involved.
Cause #3: Poor Visibility
Poor visibility in Atlanta intersections can make it difficult for drivers to determine whether they can move safely through the intersection. Poor visibility may include:
- Poor lighting. Intersections, especially intersections that include pedestrian crossings or see a high rate of bicycle traffic, may need enhanced lighting to help reduce the risk of an accident.
- Overgrowth around signs and traffic signals. Overgrowth can pose a serious problem, since it can make it more difficult for drivers to see what takes place in the intersection or to observe the signs they need to see in order to navigate safely.
- Tight angles, as mentioned above, that make it difficult to see the actions of other drivers as they move through the intersection.
Intersections with poor overall visibility can see a greater risk of accidents than intersections that have clear visibility and make it easy for drivers to see through them.
Cause #4: Speeding
Speeding can lead to devastating traffic accidents. Drivers who speed when approaching an Atlanta intersection may have a hard time bringing their vehicles to a safe stop when they reach the intersection. As a result, those drivers may have a hard time preventing an accident when another vehicle has already moved into the intersection or something unexpected occurs. Speeding drivers may also cause more severe injuries in Atlanta intersection accidents, since at high rates of speed, they can have overall greater force behind the accident than if drivers slow down and travel at a safe rate of speed.
Cause #5: Inebriation
Each year in Georgia, around 350 fatal accidents occur involving impaired drivers. Drunk drivers often struggle to control their vehicles safely and may engage in a variety of unpredictable activities that can increase the risk of a devastating collision. In intersections, drunk drivers may struggle to remember who has right of way or even simply proceed through the intersection without acknowledging the traffic signals that help guide drivers safely through that area. Inebriation can pose a serious problem when it comes to navigating on the often-busy streets of Atlanta.
Cause #6: Failure to Yield
Many intersections across Atlanta have clear traffic signals indicating when people have the right to move through an intersection. Unfortunately, some drivers may not yield when they should. Instead, they may try to force themselves through that intersection without regard for the fact that another driver has right of way. When a driver fails to yield, especially if the driver of another vehicle moving into the intersection does not realize that the driver does not intend to yield, it can lead to a catastrophic accident.
Cause #7: Rear-End Collisions
Many of the accidents that occur at intersections are rear-end collisions. The front vehicle might stop at a stop sign or red light as intended, but the driver in the rear might simply continue driving, leading to a devastating rear-end collision. Rear-end collisions can result in significant injuries, including whiplash, which can have long-term consequences for the injured party. Rear-end collisions can also occur if the front driver attempts to adjust their position in the intersection and rolls backward into another vehicle.
Cause #8: Left Turns
Left turns across an intersection can prove particularly difficult for many drivers to manage. When turning left, the driver must generally turn across another lane of traffic. Most of the time, that means the driver needs to wait until that lane of traffic clears so that he can proceed safely through the intersection. Unfortunately, in some cases, the driver may not allow adequate room to complete that turn, or might try to rush across the intersection after a light change. In that case, the driver that attempted the left turn may end up involved in a devastating accident.
Contact an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer After an Intersection Accident
Did you have an Atlanta car accident caused by another driver’s negligence? If so, you may have the right to compensation for the damages you sustained because of the accident. A lawyer can help provide you with better insight into how to manage your claim and pursue the compensation you deserve. Contact an Atlanta car accident lawyer today for more information about your rights.