Accidents that occur at intersections are common, yet scary. Driving through a crossing with a stop sign or red light while another vehicle tries to pass through the same intersection simultaneously causes such accidents. Those are regarded as broadside collisions, and T bone crashes as the front of one car crashes into the side of another, giving the overview of the letter “T.” Accidents like these are unfortunately often life-taking. Still, a few factors control the level of the harm it can provide to drivers.
Although accidents are often spontaneous and nobody can do anything about it, people still need to learn the causes of intersection accidents to avoid being one of its victims in the future. See how those occur:
Not Following the Signal
We all know what red light means, and we all know what we should do when we see it. Yet so many people go on violating the traffic rules. Continuing to drive while seeing the stop sign is one of the most common causes of intersection accidents as it interrupts the overall traffic flow, letting other vehicles suffer. Drivers are not aware of the fact that somebody is not following the law; hence, they are not able to react right away when the disruption takes place.
Tailgating
A slight mistake can make you suffer a lot. Following another car too closely is what most people do, not always deliberately, but it is a significant cause of intersection accidents. It can happen at both red lights and stop signs. Drivers do not focus on the brake lights of the vehicle ahead of them, which, in turn, makes a smash. It is imperative to keep space between two cars to be safe.
Two-Way Stop Signs
Many people have a misunderstanding about the stop sign when they are traveling across an intersection. They think that all vehicles have to stop when seeing another square sign below the stop sign regardless of the “All Way,” “4 Way,” “3 Way,” and “2 Way” notation. One must know that vehicles traveling the perpendicular direction don’t have to stop when a stop sign has a “2 Way” sign beneath it as it denotes the continuation of the cross traffic. By making this blunder, drivers keep moving forward as they believe another will stop but end up getting a T-bone crash by the vehicle that had the right of way in the first place.
Right of Way
Traffic etiquettes ask all the drivers to make way for others. There are many laws about traffic, which guides about driving on the same roadway as other vehicles. However, some still fail to get and abide by them. Not stopping to allow other cars with the right of way to go first is one of the violations that cause accidents to happen. Know who has the right of way when stopping at an intersection.
Changing Lanes
Shifting cars to another lane is one of the many reasons for intersection accidents seen. During a crossing approach, drivers incline towards moving to other routes without giving a turning signal. This sudden switching causes dangerous rear-enders.
It would be helpful for both you and other drivers on the road to follow laws seriously when using busy streets.
If you followed all these guidelines and still go through a trauma in a car accident at an intersection, you should connect with an experienced Brooklyn car accident lawyer to discuss your case and aim to receive compensation for all your damages and all you’ve been through.