INTERSECTION ACCIDENTS

Approximately one-third of all crashes occur at intersections. As a general rule, intersections are considered to be more dangerous than other areas of the road due to obvious dangers, such as traffic lanes crossing, vehicles turning, and drivers changing speed or stopping at signals. In fact, the Driving Institute of America states that over 40% of all car accident fatalities involved drivers either failing to yield the right of way, driving through a stop sign, or ignoring a traffic light-all intersection accidents!

The following intersections are considered to be the top 10 most dangerous intersections in the US according to the State Farm Danger Index:

1. Pembroke Pines, Florida - Flamingo Road and Pines Boulevard.
2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Red Lion Road and Roosevelt Boulevard.
3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Grant Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.
4. Phoenix, Arizona - 7th Street and Bell Road.
5. Tulsa, Oklahoma - 51st Street and Memorial Drive.
6. Tulsa, Oklahoma - 71st Street and Memorial Drive.
7. Phoenix, Arizona -19th Avenue and Northern Avenue.
8. Plano, Texas - State Highway 121 and Preston Road.
9. Metairie, Louisiana - Clearview Parkway and Veterans Memorial Boulevard.
10. Sacramento, California - Fair Oaks Boulevard and Howe Avenue

All intersection accidents are not the fault of the drivers involved. In some cases, there may be defects in the design of the roadways or in the construction of the road. Roads may not be designed properly to allow for adequate lines of sight or posted speed limits. The traffic signals may have been improperly timed, or they may have malfunctioned. Other defects on our roadways may be improperly placed stop signs, yield signs, etc., or the existing traffic signs may be faded or damaged.

The chances of being involved in an intersection accident can be reduced by following a few guidelines provided by the Driving Institute of America:

• If you are at a green light and a building obstructs your view of traffic coming from either direction of the upcoming intersection, the green light should then be treated as a blinking yellow or caution light.
• When approaching a stop sign, be sure to carefully look at approaching vehicles and judge their speed. If you are in a hurry, you may just notice the vehicle, but this does not mean it will stop at the sign. Many lives are lost each day when drivers do not properly judge the speed of an approaching vehicle and pull out into the intersection.
• The "1520 Rule" means planning to arrive at your destination 15 to 20 minutes ahead of time. This way, you will not be in a hurry to get there and become and offensive driver. You will pay attention to the road and crossing traffic more carefully.

Intersection accidents often cause serious injuries and catastrophic loss to the parties involved. Since many times there are factors involved in the causation of the accident other than driver negligence, the accident must be properly investigated. Many times there is a need to hire an accident reconstruction expert to do an in-depth investigation to discover the actual cause factors involved to ensure that all negligent parties are held accountable.

If you have been involved in an intersection accident in Florida, you need the knowledge and resources of experienced Florida personal injury lawyers who are willing to investigate an accident to the fullest to ensure that their clients get just and adequate compensation for their injuries.